European Parliament resolution initiated by EPP with United National Movement opposition as its “main ally” - PM
Garibashvili claimed “some Georgian opposition politicians” had “gone to Europe to spread follies against our country”, referring to the personalities as “irresponsible” and “saboteurs”. Photo: Government Administration
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday said the resolution on violations of media freedom and the safety of journalists in Georgia, adopted by the European Parliament on Thursday, had been initiated by the European People's Party, and called the United National Movement domestic opposition party the EPP’s “main ally”.
Garibashvili claimed “some Georgian opposition politicians” had “gone to Europe to spread follies against our country”, referring to the personalities as “irresponsible” and “saboteurs”.
A few days ago, a resolution was adopted in the European Parliament. The main initiator of this resolution was the European People's Party. We know well who this party is, but the main thing is to remind our citizens that the party affiliated to the European People's Party, and their main ally, is again and again the United National Movement”, the head of the Georgian Government said.
The opposition politicians who lobbied at European structures had acted “not against the Government and the ruling Georgian Dream party, but against the country” in the process, the PM noted.
Adopting such an irresponsible and shameful resolution is a direct proof of what I have said. [...] These shameful accusations - written down in the resolution - the so-called facts and evidence, were provided by them [the domestic opposition politicians]”, Garibashvili concluded.
The European Parliament resolution adopted on Thursday noted the “increasing number of cases of intimidation, violence against and persecution of journalists” in Georgia and called on the country’s authorities to “thoroughly investigate any case of violence and to prosecute those responsible”.
It noted the assault on reporters by right-wing groups in Tbilisi on July 05, 2021, ahead of a planned Tbilisi Pride event, and pointed to a “persistent lack of diligent investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the violence”.
The resolution also urged Georgian authorities to “refrain from interfering in media freedom or pursuing politically motivated judicial cases against media owners or representatives”, and noted the case of Gvaramia, who was sentenced to three years and six months in prison last month for causing financial damage to Rustavi 2 channel through advertising deals between 2015-2019, during his time at the helm of the company.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Saturday said he remained “optimistic” that a “sensible decision” would be made by the European Commission on the country’s European Union membership bid, which he said would be in the “best interest of both sides”.
Archil Talakvadze, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Friday said the resolution on violations of media freedom and the safety of journalists in Georgia, adopted by the European Parliament on Thursday, “diverges from reality”, “lacks fairness” and “contains distorted facts”.
Irakli Chikovani, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Friday said he was “convinced” the resolution on violations of media freedom and the safety of journalists in Georgia, adopted by the European Parliament on Thursday, would not “cast a shadow” over the “progress made” by the country.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday criticised the European Parliament resolution on violations of media freedom and the safety of journalists in Georgia by saying the document was “not worth a dime”.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday highlighted his Government’s “responsibility” to “fulfil all commitments” taken up by his team “to the end”, in comments that denied rumours about his imminent resignation.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday announced the departure of three MPs from both the party and the parliament following their disagreement over public relations strategy with the rest of the faction.
Sozar Subari, Mikheil Kavelashvili and Dimitri Khundadze, the three MPs who left the ranks of the ruling Georgian Dream party this week, on Thursday said the decision of the European Council not to grant Georgia the European Union membership candidate status outright contributed to an “opposite effect” of the objective of depolarisation of its domestic political environment, a qualification included in the body’s requirements to the country.
Irakli Kobakidze, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said the European Parliament resolution on the violations of media freedom and the safety of journalists in Georgia, adopted in June, was “politically biased” and sought a “specific interest”, after the Tbilisi court of appeals upheld a verdict against the head of a TV channel supported by a part of the domestic opposition.
Members of the ruling Georgian Dream party on Wednesday said they were “disappointed” with what they called a “number of wrong interpretations” in the newly approved annual report on the fulfilment of the 2014-signed Association Agreement between Georgia and the European Union.
Kakha Kaladze, the mayor of Tbilisi and the secretary general of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said “certain members” of the European Parliament were “friends not of Georgia but of a particular political party”.
Georgian parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Sunday said it was “hard to see” some European politicians “try to pursue their own political interests in Georgia using Russian propaganda methods”.
Georgian parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday said friends of the imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili and former United National Movement defence minister and now private TV channel owner David Kezerashvili “by definition” could not be friends of the country.