Georgia: Leading MEPs call on all political forces to “put aside their partisan interests” 

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In a joint statement, MEPs support EU mediation and urge political leaders to refrain from further stirring up an already heated political climate in Georgia.

Following a meeting with Christian Danielsson, personal envoy of European Council President Charles Michel for the EU-mediated political dialogue in Georgia on 28 March 2021, a group of leading MEPs issued the following joint statement:


“We urge all political forces to put aside their partisan interests for the sake of Georgia’s future, to work constructively towards resolving the crisis in a spirit of compromise and conciliation and to refrain from further stirring up an already heated political climate. The stability of the country’s parliamentary democracy and its European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations are worth every effort.


We strongly support the EU’s ongoing mediation efforts conducted by Christian Danielsson, European Council President Charles Michel’s personal envoy. We call on political leaders to grasp this opportunity for an equitable agreement, which is still possible and to put Georgia’s citizens and their needs at the centre of their debate. We trust that Georgia’s political class will live up to its responsibility and find a solution to the current crisis.


On a cross-party basis, the European Parliament has always supported Georgia’s chosen path towards a deeper relationship with the EU. We have provided consistently strong political backing for the country to continue on this path. However, substantial progress will only be possible when the antagonism and polarisation in Georgian politics are replaced by a sense of constructive cooperation and when the country’s democratic institutions can properly fulfil their roles. We stand ready to assist Georgia in this difficult situation. Once the parties will have reached an agreement we are prepared to implement, in close cooperation with the Georgian Parliament, the full spectrum of the European Parliament’s democracy support measures.”


Background

The increasing frictions between political parties in Georgia following the November 2020 parliamentary elections and the arrest of the opposition leader in mid-February have sparked a major political crisis in Georgia. The EU is actively engaged to help overcoming the tensions among Georgia’s political parties. Christian Danielsson, European Council President Charles Michel’s personal envoy, is currently in Tbilisi to mediate a compromise among the parties. The European Parliament strongly supports his efforts.

The statement has been signed by:

David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Co-Chair of Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group

Marina KALJURAND (S&D, ET), Chair of the Delegation for Relations with the South Caucasus

Andrius KUBILIUS (EPP, LT), Chair of the Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly

Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (GREENS, DE), lead member of Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group for Georgia

Sven MIKSER (S&D, ET), European Parliament’s Standing Rapporteur on Georgia

Michael GAHLER (EPP, DE), European Parliament’s Standing Rapporteur on Ukraine

Petras AUSTREVICIUS (RENEW, LT), European Parliament’s Standing Rapporteur on Belarus

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