“Constructive, good” relations with all EU institutions are “necessary” for Georgia’s integration - Parliament official

Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Saturday said the Government desired to have “very constructive and good relations” with the European Parliament and all European Union institutions, as it was “necessary” for Georgia’s integration into the bloc.

Botchorishvili responded to an amendment introduced by MEP Anna Fotyga to a European Parliament resolution to urge the Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili to pardon the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili, by saying “it would be good” if the bloc could clarify whether such entries in the EP’s resolution "have any impact” on Georgia-EU relations.

We know the amendment by [MEP] Fotyga to the resolution can not have any influence [on the Georgia-EU relationship]”, she added in her interview with the Imedi TV channel.

The Parliament official also stressed that Georgian authorities had “no desire” to be in a public dialogue with negative messages towards the EU, on the contrary, the country’s interest was cooperation that would bring results.

The European Parliament on Thursday adopted two resolutions, supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia. An amendment on pardoning Saakashvili was included in the resolution at the request of MEP Fotyga.