Georgian PM: European Parliament resolutions have “lost value” for country’s public

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday claimed resolutions of the European Parliament had “completely lost their value” for the country’s public by “declaring” wanted former official David Kezerashvili, the Defence Minister in the United National Movement Government, as a “refugee”.

Kobakhidze was asked about debates in the European Parliament regarding the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence, which calls for the registration of non-commercial legal entities and media outlets in the country as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they derive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad.

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In his response, the PM pointed to a resolution on Kezerashvili as well as other documents on the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili and Nika Gvaramia, the founder of the Georgian-based Mtavari Arkhi TV and Ahali opposition party, who was pardoned by the Georgian President last year, which he said had declared them as political prisoners.

He added the body’s resolutions had also demanded sanctioning of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the former Prime Minister and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, and alleged “lies” were “widespread” among “odious European parliamentarians” whose alleged efforts he called an “extremely un-European phenomenon”.

For me, truth, facts and arguments have a price. When we see a lie, it doesn't matter if it is a Georgian or a foreigner, a lie is a lie. Therefore, the only thing that has value for us is the truth, these are facts [and] arguments”, he added.

Kobakhidze said he hoped European institutions would “manage and overcome these types of problems”.