Ruling party figures “disappointed” with “incorrect notes” in EP resolution

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. 

The European Parliament's committee on foreign relations on Tuesday adopted the final version of rapporteur Sven Mikser’s report on Georgia with compromise amendments, which points to “excessive influence” of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the GD and the former prime minister, on developments in the country. 

It also calls on Georgian authorities to stop “politically motivated criminal cases”, reconsider current cases brought against opposition media, their owners or family members, and allow the transfer of imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili abroad for treatment “on humanitarian grounds”. 

In his comments on the resolution - supported by 47 MEPs, with five voting against and two abstaining - secretary general of the ruling party Kakha Kaladze said “it is not the first time such resolutions are adopted [by the EP] with a number of wrong interpretations”. 

Kaladze has praised "a lot of good things" being done by the ruling party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili for the country. Photo: Georgian Dream press office. 

This resolution has no value, as the Georgian people are well aware of the deeds of Ivanishvili. I disapprove of the notes in the document”, the official said, noting Georgian authorities would continue to “do their utmost” to meet the 12-point conditions set by the European Union for granting Georgia a membership candidate status. 

Fellow MP of the ruling party, Rati Ionatamishvili, noted Georgia's accession to the EU was “above all political goals”, adding it was “regrettable” to see some MEPs - who he said were “allied with the radical United National Movement opposition party” - “try to create obstacles” on the path. 

A number of questions were softened in the [amended] text discussed by the committee, but there are still some lines that justly cause a feeling of injustice among the Georgian people”, said the MP in reference to the adopted text. 

Opposition MP Iago Khvichia has called on the government to transfer ex-president Saakashvili abroad for treatment to prevent complications on the country's European integration path. Photo: parliament of Georgia press office. 

The modified text no longer cites Ivanishvili as an oligarch and does not include calls for sanctions on him, with the part on Saakashvili’s release from prison removed from prerequisites for granting Georgia the membership candidate status. 

In his response to the resolution, Iago Khvichia, an opposition MP from Girchi - More Freedom party, reiterated Saakashvili's imprisonment “hindered” Georgia's EU integration process. “We have called on authorities many times to transfer Saakashvili abroad for treatment”, he said. 

In its reaction to the document, the Lelo for Georgia parliamentary opposition group claimed authorities were “destroying the chances for the country’s European integration” and said “a country with a politicised justice system, political prisoners and an oligarchic government has little chance of obtaining the membership candidate status”. 

For his part, Mikser said the document drafted by him “reflects the common ground and expresses our support for Georgian peoples’ European aspirations”. The MEP once again called on Georgian political actors to work together to obtain EU membership candidate status.