Resoconto integrale delle discussioni

Martedì 14 marzo 2023 - Strasburgo

17. Situazione in Georgia (discussione)

  Der Präsident. – Als nächster Punkt der Tagesordnung folgt die Aussprache über die Erklärung des Vizepräsidenten der Kommission und Hohen Vertreters der Union für die Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik zur Lage in Georgien (2023/2594(RSP)).

Für den Vizepräsidenten der Kommission und Hohen Vertreter der Union für die Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik spricht Herr Kommissar Várhelyi.

  Olivér Várhelyi, on behalf of the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. – Mr President, honourable Members of Parliament, over the past week, thousands of Georgians exercised their right to peaceful demonstration against the adoption of a law on transparency of foreign influence in first reading by the Georgian Parliament. Across the country, women and men took to the streets, holding European flags to recall their attachment to democracy, our shared European values, and to Georgia’s path towards the European Union.

After these demonstrations, the ruling party announced last Thursday their decision to withdraw the law, which was voted down by the parliament the following day. The withdrawal of both drafts is an encouraging and positive sign.

Honourable Members, Georgians have a future in the EU. The European perspective granted last June set out relations on an even closer course under the EU enlargement policy framework, building upon the long-standing cooperation anchored in the Association Agreement.

The European path sets the bar high as regards standards in Georgia that Georgia needs to meet, and the values it has to maintain. It brings increased scrutiny and monitoring and a need to implement reforms. It also provides a wider set of EU tools to accompany Georgia in this process.

The Georgian people, in their vast majority, have expressed their resolve to join the EU. The government has sent similar messages. Now it is time for action on the ground. We acknowledge important steps made by Georgia in the reform process. Now, work on reforms and priorities set by the Commission must continue. Strengthening the independence of the state institutions, upholding the highest standards of human rights and the rule of law are key priorities.

Let me recall that on 2 February, the Commission services have provided further policy guidance on the EU acquis-related reforms in their analytical report, completing our opinion from June last year on the country’s application for the EU membership.

A comprehensive assessment of Georgia’s progress in meeting accession criteria will be carried out for the first time as part of the Autumn 2023 enlargement package, and therefore you should anticipate an even fuller picture.

Honourable Members, this Parliament adopted last month a resolution on the health situation of Mr Mikheil Saakashvili. We conducted an EU démarche with the Minister of Justice on 27 February, and our message was very clear: it is the legal responsibility of the Georgian authorities to fully guarantee Mr Saakashvili’s rights, both as a detainee and as a defendant, in line with Georgia’s international commitments. The EU is ready to assist partners on this matter, including as regards efforts to ensure medical assistance.

Let me conclude by stressing that the EU remains a close friend and partner to Georgia and its people. This is a crucial moment for the whole country to unite and to work resolutely for the common strategic goal of EU membership and European values.

  Sandra Kalniete, on behalf of the PPE Group. – Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, the highly disturbing events in Georgia must not be viewed in isolation. Just as Russia wages a war of aggression against Ukraine and tries to destabilise Moldova, the Kremlin is desperate to retain Georgia and its sphere of influence. I applaud the courage shown by the protesters in Georgia. Europe sees your bravery and will not turn its back on you. Your courage has stopped the passage of the Kremlin-inspired foreign agents act.

However, we should not be naive. The fight does not end here. These events are an important reminder that we will never have lasting peace and security in Europe as long as these grey zones remain. The place of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia is firmly in the European Union. The Georgian people must continue pressing for critical reforms that will bring Georgia towards EU candidate status. Only the Georgian people can hold its leadership accountable. Only the Georgian people can challenge the might of the oligarchs.

In conclusion, as an MEP from Latvia, I remember how difficult the accession process is. Allow me to remind you. Windows of opportunity can only arrive once or twice in a generation and do not stay open for long. I appeal to the Georgian people not to waste your window of opportunity.

  Sven Mikser, on behalf of the S&D Group. – Mr President, the degree of support in Georgian society for the country’s European aspirations has been so high that it has been very easy for years for us to support Georgia’s aspirations. No serious political party has been able to fully ignore the degree of support that Georgians have expressed with regard to the country’s European future. Even those in power have always felt it necessary to pay lip service to those aspirations, even when their actions have spoken a different language. We’ve seen problems in the area of the rule of law, the independence of judiciary, media, freedom and political polarisation. I think the attempt by the Georgian Government and governing party to adopt the so-called Foreign Agents Law was just one example of a long list of problems in the area of rule of law in the country.

What is concerning is that recently, even though the draft law was dropped, even the words do not support these aspirations. The ridiculous accusations against the European Parliament and the European Union will ...

(The President cut off the speaker)

  Petras Auštrevičius, on behalf of the Renew Group. – Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, I would like to start by congratulating the people of Georgia who, by their active stance, have stopped the government’s intention to adopt a Russian—style foreign agent law. I also reiterate our solidarity and appreciation to the civil society in Georgia.

Fulfilling the European will of the Georgian people, the Georgian authorities must fully implement the 12 recommendations of the European Commission, bearing in mind that the health and life of the poisoned and imprisoned Mikheil Saakashvili is an integral part of the EU requirements. Europe will not open the door to any form of political revanchism.

I regret that the EU flags were burning in Tbilisi today. It is a sad day for all Georgia’s friends in the European Union. Nevertheless, I believe that the historical wisdom of the people of Georgia who remember the horrors of totalitarianism will take over.

  Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, all masks are finally off. The government of Georgia is determined to sabotage the country’s European path. Thankfully, the people of Georgia are not taking it. There is no way back to the Russian swamp. There’s no way back to the curtailed freedoms and autocracy. There’s only one way forward: to Georgia’s European future.

The people of Georgia are so unlike their government. Everyone took to the streets to make their voices heard in Tbilisi, in Brussels and especially in Moscow. Those in the streets of Tbilisi, Batumi or Kutaisi spoke on behalf of over 80% of Georgians. You cannot wash away the European identity with water cannons. Burning the EU flag will not burn Europe from the Georgian hearts. Violence is futile against those who fight for freedom.

The Constitution of Georgia is sacred, and its Article 78 demands the government ensures the full integration of Georgia into the EU and into NATO. Yet the government has put the interests of one oligarch and the Kremlin above this constitution. When those in power betray their people, those people will demonstrate their power.

It is time to take a cue from Georgians and fight for the European future. The people of Georgia deserve to be in the EU, even if their current government does not.

  Anna Fotyga, on behalf of the ECR Group. – Mr President, Commissioner, a full-scale invasion of Ukraine means a geopolitical shift in our neighbourhood. Georgian people understand it very well. It is a turning point for all of us in the region. Therefore I pay tribute to their courage in protesting about the appalling foreign agent law.

I would like to mention that keeping the third president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, in prison as Putin’s hostage, means a deteriorating future for Georgia. Hopefully the Georgian Government understands it similarly to people’s protests recently in Tbilisi and elsewhere.

  Anna Bonfrisco, a nome del gruppo ID. – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, una Georgia membro della NATO renderà gli alleati dell'Unione europea più forti e sicuri. Questo perché le due istituzioni internazionali sono complementari attraverso un partenariato strategico indissolubile.

La partecipazione all'Alleanza si baserà sempre sull'impegno della Georgia verso i valori fondanti della NATO e quelli dell'Unione europea: Stato di diritto, democrazia, diritti umani, pluralismo, società civile, apertura, trasparenza e il rispetto del diritto internazionale.

Da quando ha riconquistato l'indipendenza, il popolo georgiano ha scelto chiaramente e coerentemente di far parte della comunità democratica euro-atlantica.

Partendo proprio dalla violazione della sovranità e dell'integrità territoriale della Georgia come dell'Ucraina, come possiamo noi realizzare un sistema più forte di sicurezza collettiva per noi e i nostri vicini, caro Commissario?

Oggi noi vediamo nei cittadini della Georgia fratelli europei e dobbiamo aiutarli in tutti i modi.

  Mick Wallace, on behalf of the The Left Group. – Mr President, Commissioner, Georgia – like many other former Eastern Bloc countries – has not fared well under the thumb of predatory financial capitalism, crushing economic reforms and a hollowing out of the State. The NGO sector has stepped in to fill that void, and an entire middle class now is dependent on this sector and foreign funding.

The initial upset about this law was about people’s incomes being put in danger. Not that it was pro- or anti-Russian, or western. The NGO sector rallied and got the proposal retracted while apparently charging the Georgian State with taking a dark authoritarian turn for looking at laws similar to what exists in Russia, in Australia, in the US since 1938, and may be coming to the EU sometime soon.

That we have had condemnation of the law from the EU and others who either have or would happily implement similar measures is the height of hypocrisy. That this has been seized upon to inflame tensions in Georgia, which could potentially reignite the frozen conflict on its borders, is very disappointing.

  Marcel de Graaff (NI). – Voorzitter, deze zaal toonde zich tot op het bot geschokt over de omkoping van leden van dit Parlement door Qatar. Het Parlement eiste onmiddellijke maatregelen. Ngo’s die banden hadden met Qatar moesten worden geweerd, want dit Parlement wil terecht buitenlandse beïnvloeding voorkomen. Ondertussen geeft de EU zelf miljoenen euro’s aan maatschappelijke organisaties via de EU roadmap for engagement with civil society in Georgia, om daar de politieke en culturele koers te beïnvloeden. En nu het Georgische parlement wetten wil aannemen om buitenlandse beïnvloeding te voorkomen, is dit Parlement tot op het bot geschokt. Want nu komt zogenaamd de democratie in Georgië in gevaar. De hypocrisie is misselijk makend. Ik zeg aan Georgië: doe er alles aan om de EU buiten de deur te houden, want anders wordt Georgië nog slechts een vazalstaat zonder identiteit en zonder soevereiniteit.

  Andrzej Halicki (PPE). – Szanowni Państwo! Historia i geografia nie znają próżni, szczególnie dzisiaj, kiedy mamy w Europie wojnę. Nie można lawirować między Rosją a Unią Europejską i doskonale rozumieją to Gruzini, którzy wyszli masowo na ulice. Widzimy was, jesteśmy z wami, widzimy te flagi europejskie, podniesione wysoko, które dzielnie trzymacie nawet wtedy, kiedy bije was policja i polewają zimną wodą. I z tego miejsca apel do gruzińskiego rządu. To przyszłość jest w waszych rękach. To wy jesteście odpowiedzialni za przyszłość i bezpieczeństwo Gruzji. Porzućcie rosyjską retorykę, rosyjskie prawo, bo Gruzja jest w Europie. Tego chcą Gruzini. W waszych rękach jest przyszłość narodu, ale też zdrowie prezydenta Saakaszwilego. Polski rząd pragnie go leczyć. Co wam przeszkadza? Czego się boicie, że nie dopuszczacie międzynarodowych lekarzy? Zdecydujcie się, bo gruziński naród zasługuje na bezpieczeństwo i bezpieczny rozwój. Gruzja jest w Europie i wasza odpowiedzialność dziś leży u was, na waszym stole i nie dziwcie się, że nie będziecie partnerami dla Europy, kiedy nazywacie ją obcą agenturą.

  Marina Kaljurand (S&D). – Mr President, as the Chair of the South Caucasus delegation, I have two messages to the Georgian people. First, we Members of the European Parliament know and respect the choice of closer European and transatlantic integration. You have been very clear and consistent in expressing your European aspiration. We support you and we stand with you on European path. Second, we will never, I repeat, never drag you into any war. We remember the war of 2008 and human lives lost. We will never recognise occupation of Georgia. We will always support Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We wish Georgian people peace, security and prosperity.

Our message to the Georgian politicians is very clear. War in Ukraine opened a window of opportunity for Georgia. Do not waste it. Remember that today Ukrainians are fighting and dying for their future, but also for your future. Attacks on Ukraine and President Zelenskyy by Georgian officials are disappointing and unacceptable. The window of opportunity will not remain open forever. Do what your people expect from you.

  Katalin Cseh (Renew). – Mr President, colleagues, Commissioner, the foreign agent law cooked up in Vladimir Putin’s Russia is malicious, cynical and oppressive. Its sole purpose is to discredit civil society and to crush dissent.

So, no wonder that autocrats all around the world can’t seem to have enough of it. It is copied in Nicaragua, Belarus and Egypt and, sadly, also in the EU. Viktor Orbán’s government passed an exact replica of this law and it took the European Court to strike it down. Because, as Josep Borrell communicated it to the Georgian leaders, it is incompatible with EU values. So, we very strongly welcome its withdrawal.

Our Parliament has a very clear message to the pro-European forces in Georgia: we see you and we stand with you and we admire your determination to join our European family. The image of a protester in Tbilisi waving an EU flag while facing the water cannons is such a powerful symbol, colleagues. It shows how much the European project means for people in accession countries.

We should work every day to live up to this and to have a much broader strategy to counter Russian influence, because we cannot fight Putin without fighting the Putinisation of our neighbourhood.

  Markéta Gregorová (Verts/ALE). – Mr President, dear colleagues, I have to say that after four years intensely working on getting Georgia closer to us, knowing it is also something that the citizens want, I am at a loss with the situation now.

It seems that whatever we do, it’s a reason for Prime Minister Garibashvili to accuse us of foul play or for other representatives of the government to personally attack each of us. Now, after doing the right thing and reconsidering this version of the Foreign Agents Law, there is no humility; on the contrary: horrible claims about how the opposition would kill a person just to cause chaos, and that we are the foreign agents interfering. I’d like to remind the Georgian Government of one thing: we are not here against your will. You have an association agreement, the DCFTA. You are eager to get candidate status. You do everything to get closer to us. But at each step, you throw a stone at us. So if you want to get closer to the EU just to be able to throw stones from a short distance, I don’t think we have an agreement. Pick a side, or we will stop being a choice.

  Adam Bielan (ECR). – Mr President, Commissioner, 15 years after an attempted coup, Georgia still faces serious political security and economic interferences from the Kremlin. I welcome the withdrawal of the recent Kremlin-inspired law on foreign agents and the bravery of the Georgian people protesting against it.

In parallel, during the last plenary session, this Parliament adopted with a large majority a resolution calling for the release of former Georgian President Saakashvili and his immediate transport abroad for specialist treatment. I welcome that this resolution, together with the calls from the Polish Government, have borne fruit and that Polish doctors will soon be able to examine the former Georgian president’s health. The EU and its Member States should keep supporting democratic aspirations of the Georgian people and maintain the high dynamic of the EU enlargement process.

  Andrius Kubilius (PPE). – Mr President, dear colleagues, we know very well how strongly the Georgian people want to join the EU. But today, Georgia as a State has a problem on the way to achieve such a strategic goal. And that problem has the name of Bidzina Ivanishvili.

Unfortunately, formal and informal authorities in Georgia are united in their tactics to deliberately create new and new problems on that path of integration. That is why Mikheil Saakashvili and Nika Gvaramia are kept in prison. And that is why we recently witnessed a story with ‘foreign agents’ law.

The initiative of foreign agents law was a deliberate political provocation of the Georgian authorities against the people of Georgia. Such a behaviour of authorities is absolutely opposite to what the EU is demanding from Georgia – to depolarise political life. It is good that Georgian people in the streets managed to defend their road towards integration, but we should not be naive. This is not the last political anti-European provocation of the authorities.

The Prime Minister of Georgia, Mr Garibashvili, yesterday made an important statement. Quote: ‘The European Parliament would better take care of itself. 100 MEPs are involved in a corruption scandal. Their desire was and is to involve Georgia in the war and to destroy it together with Ukraine.’

The Kremlin should envy for such type of propaganda. But it does not lead to the candidate status. Despite that, we shall continue to stand together with Georgian people!

  Nacho Sánchez Amor (S&D). – Señor presidente, miren, señorías, yo me niego a esta falsa dicotomía de tener que elegir entre el expresidente en prisión —al cual muchos de los que están aquí sentados le recomendaron no volver al país, y lo hizo entrando ilegalmente en medio de una campaña—, el señor Saakashvili, y un Gobierno cuya deriva autoritaria es cada vez más obvia. Pero parece que estamos de acuerdo en dar apoyo a la sociedad civil, y al menos a partir de ahí —me refiero a la sociedad civil prodemocrática y proeuropea— podemos construir un consenso.

Reitero que fue un error no poner a Georgia en las mismas condiciones que los otros países, a los que ofrecimos la candidatura, porque eso alimentó la narrativa antieuropea de Georgian Dream. Abrimos un enorme espacio para que lo llenara esa narrativa antieuropea, y no sirvió, desde luego, para acabar con la polarización que tanto decíamos que nos preocupaba.

Ahora tenemos que reconstruir nuestras palancas de influencia sobre el país en una situación infinitamente peor que la de hace unos meses, pero es nuestra obligación hacerlo. Y yo les convoco a todos a ese apoyo a la sociedad civil, sin confundirnos con falsas dicotomías.

  Georgios Kyrtsos (Renew). – Mr President, the release of former President Saakashvili from prison, given his fragile health, should become a prerequisite for developing our relations with Georgia. I wonder why the president of Georgia, Ms Salome Zourabichvili, who is also a French citizen that used to work as a diplomat in France, and the country’s powerbroker, pro-Russian oligarch Ivanishvili, also a French citizen who has been decorated by France, refused to assist in freeing Saakashvili. There cannot be a European path for Georgia with Saakashvili, who claims that he was poisoned by Russian secret agents slowly dying in prison. Georgia’s government stands on the way of the country’s European ambitions, supported by the vast majority of the people.

  Reinhard Bütikofer (Verts/ALE). – Mr President, Commissioner, ironically speaking, I must say, I admire Mick Wallace because he again demonstrated that he will sure as hell always position himself on the side of reactionaries, authoritarians and oppressors. But the Georgian citizens have opted for another choice because they know that the so-called Georgian dream has turned into a Georgian nightmare. The Georgian government is paying lip service at best to European values and the European path. We should not let Georgian citizens alone in their fight for the European perspective. That is why we should consider measures beyond what’s been on the table. Will we continue unabated with the development cooperation without conditionality? Will we refuse to consider sanctions? We shouldn’t. And we should fight for the freedom of Saakashvili.

  Vladimír Bilčík (PPE). – Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, almost 20 years ago the Georgians took to the streets in their peaceful revolution and inspired colour revolutions in other countries. But some 15 years ago, Russia attacked Georgia and today Moscow illegally occupies 20% of Georgian territory.

The people of Georgia are tough fighters for freedom and democracy. They have spoken repeatedly in elections, in the streets, about their democratic and European ambitions.

As we stand by them today, it is high time that the leaders of Georgia also stand by their own people. Georgia applied for EU membership just 10 days after Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. Georgians know all too well what the Russian attack and Russian propaganda and disinformation look like. We support all brave people of Georgia who are ready to fight for Europe and against the Russian meddling. The people of Georgia have proved worthy of EU candidate status years ago. It is long overdue that their leaders follow suit.

  Der Präsident. – Ich muss mich bei dem Kollegen Wallace entschuldigen. Er wollte eigentlich eine Frage stellen, und ich habe gedacht, ich würde von den Diensten darauf hingewiesen, dass Herr Bütikofer schon über der Redezeit war. Deshalb ist der Moment jetzt leider durch mich verpasst worden.

  Tonino Picula (S&D). – Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, the only positive element about the political situation in Georgia is that the law on the transparency of foreign influence is withdrawn. Copying wrong solutions is never a good practice. Citizens did the right thing by standing up to it. It’s good that their pressure had a positive outcome.

The similarities with the original law in Russia are as evident as the Russian interference in Georgia. It’s unfortunate that the Georgian Government is threatening the EU perspective of the country. It gives the argument to all those who advocated the unjust separation of Georgia from Ukraine and Moldova last year. Instead of working to fulfil the list of conditions to advance on the EU integration path like other two countries, the Georgian leaders are doing the opposite. There can be only European progress with European commitment and values. The dream of the Georgian people is Europe.

  Jordi Cañas (Renew). – Señor presidente, cuando hablamos de Georgia inevitablemente nos viene a la cabeza su etimología —el «georgos» griego: el agricultor, el que siembra, el labriego— y la metáfora de San Jorge y el dragón. Los georgianos sembraron la semilla de la libertad hace veinte años y ahora están amenazados por un dragón. En latín: «Hic sunt dracones». Hay dragones cerca de Georgia. Es un dragón que paulatinamente está erosionando su democracia, con un patrón que reconocemos y que hemos visto en esta ley que ha aprobado el Gobierno —o ha intentado aprobar—.

Por lo tanto, tenemos que ayudar a los georgianos. Porque los georgianos no son santos, son ciudadanos que buscan y luchan por su libertad. Luchan frente a un dragón. No volvamos a hacer lo que hicimos en 2008, que es dejarlos solos frente a aquellos que atentaron y violaron su integridad territorial. No les dejemos solos frente a aquellos que, ahora, con un proxy político, intentan erosionar y laminar el derecho que tienen a recoger la semilla de su libertad, que se llama Europa.

SĒDI VADA: ROBERTS ZĪLE
Priekšsēdētājas vietnieks

  Riho Terras (PPE). – Mr President, over the last days, we have witnessed a strong sense of protest among Georgian people against the so-called foreign agents law. Yes, we do know that the ruling Georgian team decided to pull back this draft of law, but it remains very clear that the intent of this legislative act was to silence opposition and media. The Georgian Government, controlled by the oligarchy Ivanishvili, has turned away from the cause of democracy step by step. Leaders of the opposition have suffered from the repressions by the judicial system controlled by the government. We recently heard accusations made by the Prime Minister Garibashvili against Ukrainian President Zelenskyy for supporting the coup in Georgia. Also accusations were made against this particular house for dragging Georgia into the war with Russia. Of course, these accusations are ridiculous and have no basis whatsoever. But we must continue supporting the democratic processes in Georgia, even if the sitting prime minister does not does not like us and does not like it.

  Thijs Reuten (S&D). – Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, let’s call this exactly what it is: a pro-Russian government parroting Russian propaganda to defend a Russian law. The Georgian people won this round, but the threat is far from over.

Prime Minister Garibashvili says he wants EU candidacy. Wonderful! So do the Georgians, so do I. But make no mistake, Prime Minister: if you kill your former president, no EU candidacy. If you pass any foreign agent law: no candidacy. If you destroy democracy: no candidacy. Pro-democracy protesters are not extremists, Satanists or liberal fascists just because they check your power grab. And absolutely nobody wants Georgia to absurdly open a second front.

So stop these desperate Putinesque demonisations and make real progress on the 12 recommendations – no cosmetic fixes. And if not, Georgia’s courageous people will hold you to account.

  Svenja Hahn (Renew). – Mr President, as a person born in the western part of the European Union, I only know a close European Union. And I must say I am so humbled and inspired when I see people taking to the streets fighting for their country to take the European path.

But it is their government letting them down over and over again, it is the ruling party breaking commitments on uniting the country, backing out of international agreements and not doing the slightest bit to work for the reforms to make their way into the EU candidate.

Their free media is suppressed. The political opposition is being oppressed. Former President Saakashvili is being left to die in prison. An opposition leader has been detained and beaten in prison last week, and the Russia-inspired foreign agents law is just the latest tip of the Russia-inspired anti-democratic iceberg. It would massively limit NGOs. It would limit civil society. It is only thanks to those brave people taking to the streets that this law is off the table for now.

So our message today must be very clear: to the Government of Georgia, the international world is watching your actions very closely. And to the people of Georgia, this House stands by you in solidarity when you stand up for your freedom, for your European future. We are with you.

  Liudas Mažylis (PPE). – Pirmininke, komisare, kolegos, Kremlius vykdo karą, be kita ko, ir hibridinį. Neabejoju, kad ir ši įtampa tarp Sakartvelo ir Europos Sąjungos yra sukelta dirbtinai. Ji neatneša jokio konstruktyvaus rezultato nei vienai pusei. Sakartvelas, nepaisant visų dabartinių iššūkių, nori būti Europos Sąjungos dalimi, gyventojai remia ir narystę NATO. Pasiūlytas kontraversiškas įstatymo projektas sustabdytas, o dialogas tarp valdžios ir piliečių vyksta, tiesa, labai sunkia kaina, bet vyksta, o  tolimesnė eskalacija būtų naudinga tik Rusijai. Mes, Europos Sąjunga, privalome suteikti Sakartvelui daugiau, negu abstrakčią europinę perspektyvą. Jau dabar yra reikalinga teikti daugiau finansinės ir techninės pagalbos – tai padės atremti naujas destabilizacijos, o kartu ir propagandos, bangas. O kaip kovoti su užsienio agentų įtaka – turiu omenyje būtent Rusijos šnipus – ne kartą svarstėme ir šiuose rūmuose, tad tuo vertėtų veiksmingai užsiimti ne tik Sakartvele, bet ir kiekvienoje iš dabartinės Europos Sąjungos valstybių.

(Kalbėtojas nesutiko išklausyti Mick Wallace replikos pagal mėlynosios kortelės procedūrą)

  Mick Wallace (The Left), blue-card speech. – Mr President, I wanted to make the point that Deputy Bütikofer made an inaccurate statement about me: he accused me of supporting every authoritarian regime going. I’d like to inform the gentleman that I don’t support any government anywhere. I’ve yet to see a government I like, authoritarian or otherwise. For him to actually take that position actually shows a serious lack of balance. I thought he was a smarter guy than that.

I am not taking any sides on Georgia either. But I do believe that things work out better when we let the people of the country decide the future for themselves. Let the people of Georgia ...

(The President cut off the speaker)

  Carina Ohlsson (S&D). – Herr talman! Det är en seger för det georgiska folket att det kritiserade lagförslaget om utländska agenter har dragits tillbaka. Att systematiskt attackera och undergräva civilsamhällets organisationer är ett beprövat grepp av Kreml och all världens diktaturer. Enligt Georgiens president Salomé Zurabisjvili såg lagförslaget väldigt mycket ut som rysk politik.

Hotet mot demokrati och mänskliga rättigheter i Georgien är på inget vis avvärjt. Över 80 procent av det georgiska folket vill gå med i EU. Den georgiska regeringen måste nu lyssna till det georgiska folket. Alla politiska ledare i landet har ett ansvar att förvalta. Människors längtan efter frihet och värdighet, bort från Rysslands auktoritära klor, måste stödjas mera ihärdigt av EU.

Det finns nu ett möjlighetens fönster, och då blir det en fråga till kommissionen: Hur kan kommissionen hjälpa till att strategiskt arbeta för att också uppnå detta och kandidatstatus?

  Izaskun Bilbao Barandica (Renew). – Señor presidente, los disturbios vividos en las últimas semanas en Georgia son un paso más de los muchos que viene dando su ciudadanía para acercarse a los valores de la Unión Europea.

Nosotros, en línea con la moción aprobada en el Senado de España el pasado 2 de noviembre a iniciativa de mi partido, pedimos que se reconozca y atienda esta trayectoria, mantenida pese a la amenaza rusa. Georgia, cuando cumpla las prioridades indicadas al efecto, debe ser oficialmente candidato a la adhesión a la Unión.

Desde la perspectiva emocional, para una vasca, apoyamos así a un pueblo con el que nos unen lazos profundos de amistad. Desde la perspectiva de los valores europeos, lanzar un mensaje de esta importancia en aquella zona es una manifestación de apoyo y aliento a una ciudadanía que quiere mantener su libertad y que se siente mayoritariamente europea. Pero es, además, una inversión geoestratégica y un nuevo mensaje para el régimen de Putin. La criminal invasión de Ucrania, el neoimperialismo están cosechando un resultado completamente opuesto al pretendido.

Catch-the-eye procedure

  Łukasz Kohut (S&D). – Panie Przewodniczący! Zdjęcie symbol człowiek z europejską flagą zaatakowany fizycznie w Tbilisi. Proeuropejscy demonstranci zlani wodą i szykanowani, pomawiani, że rzekomo są zagranicznymi agentami. Bzdury. Gruzini chcą do Unii Europejskiej, chcą wolności i dobrobytu, chcą naszych europejskich wartości. Dla nich, podobnie jak dla Ukraińców, unijna flaga to jest symbol. Te dwa narody na Wschodzie łączy to, że za tę flagę i za te wartości nadstawiają karku. Wspieranie Gruzji jest w interesie naszego bezpieczeństwa, ale jest to także kwestia przyzwoitości, podobnie jak wzmacnianie i budowanie silniejszej Unii Europejskiej.

Od ośmiu lat polska i węgierska telewizja publiczna demonizują integrację europejską. Polska PiS i Węgry Fideszu robią to samo, co Kreml w warstwie informacyjnej, straszą Unią Europejską, straszą Niemcami, bądź Sorosem. Unia Europejska musi być mocniejsza, musi być bardziej zintegrowana i musi być otwarta na Ukrainę, Gruzję czy Mołdawię.

  President. – I just would like to remind colleagues that when you are speaking you cannot show some photos or something like that so I would appreciate it if you would take that into account in future.

  Vlad Gheorghe (Renew). – Mr President, the people of Georgia are fighting for European values and their weapons are the European flags. Their fight is non-violent, but they are very certain about their future. On the other hand, the Commissioner for Neighbourhood is silent: he doesn’t fight for the Georgian people’s right to be European. I would like to know what does he intend to do to show support for the Georgians who – I say again – are Europeans? I know the Commissioner’s opinion about the Members of this House. I would like to remind him that Orbán has useful idiots, but somewhere else, they are not here. He needs to look for them somewhere else.

And also, one last message: this House stands together with the Georgian people for the right to be European. It’s time that the Commissioner does the same.

  Joachim Stanisław Brudziński (ECR). – Panie Przewodniczący! Może na początek, słusznie Pan zwrócił uwagę jednemu z moich przedmówców, że Regulamin tej Izby nie dopuszcza, aby podczas wystąpień pokazywać zdjęcia. Niestety Regulamin nie przewiduje też zakazów wypowiedzi niemądrych, żeby nie powiedzieć ostrzej, ludzi, którzy są dotknięci swoistego rodzaju ojkofobią, czyli wstrętem do własnego narodu czy do własnego rządu.

Szanowni Państwo, nikt nie potrzebował tej ustawy. Ona wzięła się znikąd, mogła powstać tylko na życzenie Moskwy. Ta ustawa musi być cofnięta. To słowa Pani Prezydent Zurabiszwili, które skierowała do swoich współobywateli 7 marca za pośrednictwem telełączy, ponieważ przebywała wtedy w Nowym Jorku. Rzeczywiście ustawa została cofnięta, lecz wpływy Moskwy przestały obowiązywać w Gruzji. Jest swoistego rodzaju chichotem historii, że kraj, który w 2008 roku został dotknięty napaścią ze strony putinowskich siepaczy, dzisiaj tak naprawdę ustami swoich polityków realizuje politykę Moskwy. Nie można jedną nogą być w Moskwie, a drugiej wyciągać do Europy. Dzisiaj jesteśmy murem za narodem gruzińskim, ale musimy powiedzieć jasno: kraj, który dopuszcza się de facto morderstwa na swoim byłym prezydencie, nigdy miejsca w Europie mieć nie będzie.

  Clare Daly (The Left). – Mr President, I have to say, I think this debate is really very unhelpful. While the odd person has come in and argued for calm and dialogue and diplomacy, most people here, quite frankly, have been happily stirring the pot with no apparent care for the consequences. Nobody but nobody in here should be doing that. Everybody on all sides should leave Georgia be.

Since 1991, the Georgian people have been put through the wringer of neoliberal shock therapy, political instability and vicious political polarisation. A third of the people in Georgia under 50 are considering emigrating. Some 61% of them say that no political party represents them. It is one of the most unequal countries in Europe and Central Asia: that’s what we should be focusing on. That’s what matters to the people of Georgia. And yet people come in here trying to inflame things. You’re giving out about the Georgian Foreign Agents Act when the Commission comes out and leaks its own version of exactly the same thing and you’ve nothing to say about this.

This type of thing is madness. Previously, the EU argued for dialogue and de-escalation, I ...

(The President cut off the speaker)

(End of catch-the-eye procedure)

  Olivér Várhelyi, on behalf of the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. – Mr President, honourable Members, I think that this debate has demonstrated that we all share the wish to see Georgia succeed in its reforms and on its European path. And we all need to help this to be delivered for the people of Georgia, because this is the aim of the people of Georgia and this is also the key to any EU accession process – to deliver on the 12 priorities because those 12 priorities are setting out the most important tasks in front of the country. And now we need Georgia to deliver, to work hard on these reforms, and it is the only way for the country to advance on its chosen European path.

To the question of how we support this work and how we help them to deliver, of course, we are standing by financially; we are standing by with experts. But make no mistake: this can only be delivered by the Government of Georgia and by the Parliament of Georgia, because again, this is all for the Georgian people.

  President. – The debate is closed.