German Ambassador: political parties must find “strength to cooperate”
Knirsch expressed his hope the parties would show “courage” and “strength” to carry out this kind of cooperation, pointing out that “If you want to be a pro-European party, you should take this into account”. Photo: Facebook/Deutsche Botschaft Tiflis
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German Ambassador to Georgia Hubert Knirsch on Wednesday said the 12-point conditions established by the European Union for granting Georgia the membership candidate status later this year were a “big challenge” for the Georgian political spectrum and noted the domestic political parties must find the “strength to cooperate” with each other.
I understand that it is difficult for some parties. Some parties do not have a tradition of working with each other, it is difficult, but this is what the European Union hopes to see in Georgia”, the German diplomat told local media.
Knirsch expressed his hope the parties would show “courage” and “strength” to carry out this kind of cooperation, pointing out that “If you want to be a pro-European party, you should take this into account”.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Sunday said a part of the domestic opposition had “boycotted Europe” and the implementation of the EU conditions.
Mdinaradze said it was “in the interests” of the Government to ensure it was granted the EU candidate status, as it would “strengthen the positions” of the ruling team, while claiming the outcome was not in the interests of the opposition United National Movement party.
On July 1, the ruling party presented its strategy for fulfilling the EU conditions. The strategy involves a working group - featuring representatives of all Parliamentary parties and the civil sector - that will provide a “comprehensive assessment” of the implementation of the legislative body’s regulations in the field of Parliamentary supervision, and prepare a legislative initiative to correct identified shortcomings.
Tamar Taliashvili, an MP for the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said the domestic “radical opposition” had “no interest” in being a constructive player in taking part in the fulfilment of the 12-point conditions established by the European Union for granting the country the membership candidate status later this year.
Nacho Sánchez Amor, a Member of the European Parliament, on Tuesday said the decision of the European Council to grant Georgia a status different from what Moldova and Ukraine had received was a “political mistake” and “obviously” created more polarisation in the country’s domestic political environment.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Sunday said a part of the domestic opposition had “boycotted Europe” and the implementation of the conditions outlined by the European Union for granting the country the membership candidate status later this year.
Irakli Kadagishvili, the Chairman of the Rules and Procedural Issues Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, on Thursday called on the domestic opposition, non-governmental organisations and experts to get involved in the work process on fulfilling the 12-point conditions established by the European Union for granting Georgia the membership candidate status.
The Georgian Parliament is reviewing implementation of standards of the European Court of Human Rights in Georgian courts, a question connected to one of the clauses outlined by the European Council for granting the country the European Union membership candidate status later this year.
Nacho Sánchez Amor, a Member of the European Parliament, on Wednesday said he supported granting Georgia the European Union membership candidate status immediately, claiming putting Georgia in a “different situation” from Moldova and Ukraine had been a “wrong decision” that had increased polarisation in the country’s domestic political environment.
Giorgi Vashadze, the leader of the Strategy Agmashenebeli opposition party, on Wednesday welcomed the ending of the diplomatic mission of Hubert Knirsch, the German Ambassador to Georgia, while saying he hoped working with the next head of the Embassy would be “much more interesting” for the party.
The European Commision will present a report on the priorities in the enlargement package in 2023 to give the Georgian political system “sufficient time” to “thoroughly work” on the priorities for the European Union membership candidate status, Michael Rupp, a representative of the European Commission, said on Wednesday.
Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday said a part of the domestic opposition was “sabotaging” the process of Georgia fulfilling the 12-point conditions established by the European Union for granting it the membership candidate status.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Friday signed a decree convening a special session of the Parliament to address the 12-point recommendations outlined by the European Union for granting the country the membership candidate status.
Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said the policy of the opposition United National Movement party was to “somehow harm” the country, highlighting the party’s refusal to participate in fulfilling the 12-point conditions established by the European Union for granting Georgia the membership candidate status later this year.
Georgia must understand that the European perspective granted to the country by the European Parliament and the European Council is “extremely important”, President Salome Zourabichvili said in a joint press conference with Members of the European Parliament on Wednesday.