Working groups for meeting EU integration conditions to be open for opposition participation - ruling party MP

Mikheil Sarjveladze, an MP of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday announced the creation of working groups in the Parliament to address the nine conditions outlined by the European Commission for opening European Union accession talks with Tbilisi, noting the groups would be open for opposition participation. 

In his press comments, Sarjveladze emphasised the creation of the working groups would be “driven by necessity” while avoiding “unnecessary formations”. 

The opposition will have the opportunity to make its own contribution whenever and wherever necessary. However, it is important to note that the creation of working groups will be driven by necessity. We will establish them where there is real need. The process will be based on specific needs, and the opposition will be welcomed to engage accordingly”, the lawmaker said. 

However, the MP claimed a part of the domestic opposition was “using all opportunities to invent critical views” against the authorities. 

The Georgian Dream authorities in late December unveiled an action plan to meet the bloc’s conditions for opening accession talks with Georgia, following the European Council’s approval of the European Commission’s recommendation on December 14 to grant the country the EU membership candidate status.

The conditions ranging 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.

The conditions also include ensuring a systemic approach to deoligarchisation, additional efforts for depolarising the domestic political environment and improvements to the Parliament's oversight function.