Ruling party MP denounces opposition Lelo party for not participating in meeting on EU accession work

Givi Mikanadze, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday denounced the opposition Lelo party for not joining a meeting between GD, domestic opposition and the civil sector on Monday for discussions on the work to meet the nine conditions outlined by the European Commission in November for opening the European Union accession talks with the country.

In his remarks, Mikanadze said Lelo had “once again proved” that the process was “not interesting” to the party.

In fact, they were despondent when Georgia received the European Union membership candidate status [last month]. Georgian citizens will give a proper response to [their decision] in the parliamentary elections [later this year]”, he said.

“It is their [Lelo’s] choice how they will act. The process of implementing the recommendations will be completed, and we will have tangible progress this year”, the MP added.

The European Commission recommended the European Council in November to grant Georgia the EU membership candidate status with the conditions that range from efforts to combat disinformation and foreign information manipulation about the EU and its values, to further alignment of the country’s foreign and security policies with the bloc, to reforms in the judiciary, electoral and human rights areas.