The News in Brief
Friday, April 26, 2024
Prepared by Messenger Staff
European Parliament Resolution: Sanctions on Ivanishvili, Visa-Free Regime Criteria Scrutinized, Calls for Saakashvili's Release
On April 25, the European Parliament passed a resolution regarding Georgia's draft law on transparency of foreign influence.
The resolution asserts that EU accession talks with Georgia cannot advance unless the 'Agents Law' is withdrawn. Moreover, the European Parliament supported amendments calling for sanctions against Bidzina Ivanishvili and the humanitarian release of Mikheil Saakashvili.
The European Parliament backed several key amendments:
- Urges the Council of the European Union and EU partners to impose sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili, accusing him of undermining Georgia's Western trajectory and acting against Georgian people's interests.
- Calls on the European Commission to evaluate the impact of the 'Agents Law' on Georgia's compliance with visa liberalization criteria, particularly concerning fundamental rights, a crucial aspect of EU visa policies.
- Urges the Georgian Dream party to withdraw proposed constitutional amendments that curtail LGBT rights, labeling it an assault on both the LGBT community and civil liberties.
- Calls for the humanitarian release of Mikheil Saakashvili by Georgian authorities, allowing him to seek medical treatment abroad.
The resolution garnered support from 425 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), while 25 opposed it. Additionally, 30 MEPs abstained from voting.
Kakha Kaladze Slams European Parliament's Resolution as 'Wastepaper' and 'Shameful'
Kakha Kaladze, the General Secretary of the party, criticized the European Parliament's resolution, labeling it as "wastepaper". During a briefing at the Georgian Dream office, he expressed strong disapproval, condemning the document as "shameful" and accusing European deputies of undermining European institution's integrity.
"Today, the European Parliament adopted yet another shameful resolution. The MPs who supported this piece of waste paper have once again insulted the European institution and the European idea, which is founded on principles of freedom, equality, transparency, and truth.
The Georgian people were told by the MPs involved in lobbying from start to finish that we should release Mikheil Saakashvili, a criminal who instigated a vicious system of torture, murder, business racketeering, oppression, and rape in our country. It turns out that we should release Saakashvili, who deliberately and purposefully severed 20% of Georgia's territory and pushed the country into the depths of poverty," Kaladze said.
European Parliament Resolution: Sanctions on Ivanishvili, Visa-Free Regime Criteria Scrutinized, Calls for Saakashvili's Release
The resolution asserts that EU accession talks with Georgia cannot advance unless the 'Agents Law' is withdrawn. Moreover, the European Parliament supported amendments calling for sanctions against Bidzina Ivanishvili and the humanitarian release of Mikheil Saakashvili.
The European Parliament backed several key amendments:
- Urges the Council of the European Union and EU partners to impose sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili, accusing him of undermining Georgia's Western trajectory and acting against Georgian people's interests.
- Calls on the European Commission to evaluate the impact of the 'Agents Law' on Georgia's compliance with visa liberalization criteria, particularly concerning fundamental rights, a crucial aspect of EU visa policies.
- Urges the Georgian Dream party to withdraw proposed constitutional amendments that curtail LGBT rights, labeling it an assault on both the LGBT community and civil liberties.
- Calls for the humanitarian release of Mikheil Saakashvili by Georgian authorities, allowing him to seek medical treatment abroad.
The resolution garnered support from 425 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), while 25 opposed it. Additionally, 30 MEPs abstained from voting.
Kakha Kaladze Slams European Parliament's Resolution as 'Wastepaper' and 'Shameful'
"Today, the European Parliament adopted yet another shameful resolution. The MPs who supported this piece of waste paper have once again insulted the European institution and the European idea, which is founded on principles of freedom, equality, transparency, and truth.
The Georgian people were told by the MPs involved in lobbying from start to finish that we should release Mikheil Saakashvili, a criminal who instigated a vicious system of torture, murder, business racketeering, oppression, and rape in our country. It turns out that we should release Saakashvili, who deliberately and purposefully severed 20% of Georgia's territory and pushed the country into the depths of poverty," Kaladze said.