Politics
US Secretary of Defense: As regards the 3-3 proposal, Russia should focus on honoring the 2008 ceasefire commitments, before promoting any new discussion platform
Russia, which is currently occupying 20% of Georgia’s territory, should focus on honoring the 2008 ceasefire commitments, before promoting any new discussion platform, - said US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who is on an official visit to Georgia. According to him, the countries of the South Caucasus should work together to resolve disputes and strengthen regional cooperation. We certainly encourage the countries of the South Caucasus to work together to resolve disputes and to strengthen regional cooperation”, - said the Secretary of Defense. Turkey and Iran have proposed a 3+3 format cooperation mechanism for the Caucasus with Azerbaijan, Russia, Armenia, and Georgia, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Jan. 29 after a meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Javad Zarif. “We are planning a cooperation on the South Caucasus in a 3+3 format with the proposal of Azerbaijani President İlham Aliyev, with the support of [Russian President Vladimir] Mr. Putin, our president, and other leaders,” Çavuşoğlu said, speaking at a joint press conference with the Iranian minister.
US Embassy: As Secretary Austin visited with troops, once again demonstrating that the United States and Georgia are Stronger Together
„During my final stop in Georgia today, I had the pleasure of meeting with some of our troops stationed in country. It’s never easy to be stationed away from home, but I wanted to make sure they knew how thankful I am for their service and their sacrifice“, - Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said during his visit to Georgia. „Georgian and American soldiers have trained and fought together, forming the bedrock of our security and defense partnership, and contributing to Georgia’s capacity for resilience as a whole-of-society effort. It was a befitting way to conclude a successful visit, as Secretary Austin visited with troops, once again demonstrating that the United States and Georgia are #StrongerTogether“, - mentioned the statement by the US embassy in Georgia. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will stress that there is an “open door to NATO” for Georgia and Ukraine
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will stress that there is an “open door to NATO” for Georgia and Ukraine
Defense Secretary Travels to Europe to Reassure Frontline States. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III is traveling to Europe to reassure allies and partners of America's commitment to their sovereignty in the face of Russian aggression, The Pentagon Said. Austin will visit Georgia, Ukraine and Romania before attending the NATO Defense Ministerial in Brussels. "We are reassuring and reinforcing the sovereignty of countries that are on the frontlines of Russian aggression," said a senior defense official. Georgia and Ukraine have areas occupied by Russia. Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 and occupied South Ossetia and Abkhazia — roughly 20 percent of the nation. Ukraine is in conflict with Russia, and Russian forces have killed around 14,000 Ukrainians in and around the Donbass region in Eastern Ukraine since 2014. Russia also illegally annexed Crimea. Austin will stress in both Georgia and Ukraine that there is an open door to NATO and encourage the nations to make the changes necessary for them to qualify for membership in the defensive alliance. Austin is also going to recognize the nations for their support. "In terms of sacrifices, it is important to note that Georgia … was the top, per capita contributor to the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, and suffered many losses from that mission," the official said. Officials called Romania a "role-model ally," and Austin will express America's appreciation. "Romania … is doing just about everything that we could possibly ask of a NATO ally, so we have the opportunity to recognize that and appreciate that," the official said. Romania spends more than 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense with 20 percent of that going to modernization. Both are NATO goals. All three countries border the Black Sea, and Austin will speak to their leaders about Black Sea security and seek to strengthen cooperation among these nations. All this ties into the NATO Defense Ministerial in Brussels. Austin will meet with alliance defense ministers to chart the course based on the agreement of national leaders at the summit in June. This is the first in-person ministerial since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and officials said Austin will participate in a full slate of meetings at the alliance level and bilaterally with many allies. The ministers will study the NATO 2030 agenda that looks to keep the alliance strong and relevant into the future. The leaders will also discuss Russia and, increasingly, they're discussing the problems posed by China, officials said. Austin will reinforce America's commitment to the trans-Atlantic alliance. In addition to meeting with national leaders, Austin will meet with the U.S. troops who work with Georgian, Ukrainian and Romanian service members.
MEPs Statement on 2 October local elections in Georgia
The Statement was published by MEPs on 2 October local elections in Georgia. Andrius Kubilius, MEP (EPP, Lithuania), Co-President of the Euronest PA, Rasa Jukneviciene MEP (EPP, Lithuania), Vice-Chair of the Delegation for Relations with South Caucasus (DSCA) said that they concur with the independent international observers’ assessment that the 2 October 2021 local elections in Georgia were technically well-administered, but the environment was marred with widespread and consistent allegations of intimidation, vote-buying, pressure on candidates, and voters and an unlevel playing field. „We share ODIHR concerns about the polarized media landscape, the significant imbalance of resources and insufficient oversight of campaign finances, the under-representation of women in the campaign, reports of misuse of administrative resources, and pressure against journalists. In addition to the imbalance in resources favoring the ruling party, especially concerning is the ongoing polarization of the political field, affecting also society. We agree with the U.S. Embassy Statement, that there is a dangerous risk that these and other recurring elections violations are becoming accepted as inevitable. Georgian voters deserve a higher standard of integrity in their election process. The important shortcomings identified by the independent observers must be corrected before the second round of the elections to ensure a free and fair electoral process. We expect the legal case of former President M. Saakashvili will be investigated in Georgia according to the principles of the European justice system. Unfortunately, we need to note with concern Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s recent public threat to Mr. Saakashvili on additional charges to be brought, if he does not “behave”. This shows that the case against Mr. Saakashvili is in fact political, which is deplorable and incompatible with the status of the EU Associated country. It is clear evidence that Georgian Dream leadership is yet again not able to overcome a temptation to politicize justice, which is not compatible with the rule of law principles and with European type justice principles. In any EU country, such a statement coming from a government official would result in his immediate resignation. Personal attacks by the Prime Minister and leaders of the ruling Georgian Dream party against leaders of opposition parties and against achievements of the “Rose Revolution” are simply disgusting. In mature European democracies, which are based on mutual trust and respect, one would not see Government and ruling party leaders behaving in such away. The maturity of democracy and the European type of rule of law system are the preconditions for European integration. Georgian Dream, again and again, is failing to prove that they are able to fulfill those conditions. We call on all Georgian political forces to start building bridges enabling normal democratic political dialogue, return to the pro-European reform track and focus on achieving very much-needed progress in the country’s development for the benefit of the Georgian people. It is important that Georgia does not waste results already achieved. On our part, we are ready to continue supporting Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic ambitions, but we stress that success on this path can come only with a joint and consistent effort of the ruling party and the opposition and all pro-European political forces working together to implement strong wish of the people to see Georgia in the EU“.
Diego Colas: Georgia can only be stronger if democratic institutions are reinforced
`Georgia can only be stronger if democratic institutions are reinforced`, - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Georgia, Diego Colas, said in an exclusive comment with Europe Time. `Like we have said, together with my colleagues' ambassadors from the EU, we commend the Georgian citizens, as well as the dedicated electoral staff and observers, for taking part in this important democratic Rendez-Vous. We also welcomed that a full-fledged international electoral mission was deployed and very much supported its conclusions. In that statement, we noted with satisfaction that amendments to the electoral code that we had recommended had improved the legal framework, which is good. We have also pointed to a number of shortcomings that remain and that, in our view, require urgent additional efforts, before the second round as well as beyond. I have expressed my concerns several times in the past few months, especially about the need to improve the protection of journalists, without which there cannot be a healthy democratic European-style state. I have underlined the importance of a judiciary that is truly independent and of a robust commitment to the rule of law. My view is that, given the present issues and challenges that Georgia is facing, Georgia can only be stronger if those efforts are undertaken, if democratic institutions are thus reinforced, and if the judiciary and the rule of law are widely seen as worthy of respect and full of integrity", - Diego Colas said.
MEPs: Georgia conducted a competitive and well-managed first round of the local elections, the electoral legal framework needs to be further improved
“We would like to recognize that Georgia, a key partner of the European Union, conducted a competitive and well-managed first round of the local elections on 2 October, despite the extremely polarised political environment and challenging epidemiological situation. However, the pre-electoral environment did not provide a level-playing field for the contesting parties and candidates and the main attention was diverted from local to national issues. A delegation of Members of the European Parliament, led by Mr. Michael Gahler, observed these elections together with colleagues from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe as part of the OSCE/ODIHR's International Elections ObservationMission – we would like to thank all of them wholeheartedly for their work. We take due note of the results announced by the Central Election Commission (CEC) – the Georgian Dream ruling party candidates garnered 46.6% of the votes, clearing the 43% threshold which, according to the EU-brokered 19 April agreement, would have triggered the holding of a snap parliamentary election. These elections took place under a substantially improved legal framework. Voters were given a genuine choice between a variety of political alternatives, the elections were generally well administered and the candidates were able to campaign freely. Election Day proceeded in an orderly and transparent manner, despite some procedural issues during the whole process.CEC sessions were opened to stakeholders and streamlined for the first time, which increased transparency. The campaign was characterized by a hardened polarisation of the political and media landscapes, which sometimes led to verbal or even physical confrontations. All too often, personal attacks prevailed over political debates, depriving voters of the ability to make an informed choice. Instances of misuse of public resources, as well as widespread allegations of vote-buying and intimidation against candidates, voters, and journalists during the entire electoral campaign period, must be investigated thoroughly. The electoral legal framework needs to be further improved in view of future elections, taking into account pending recommendations by the OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission, notably when it comes to campaign financing, disputes resolution, and the misuse of public resources. It is also necessary to address the underrepresentation of Georgian women in politics. Ahead of the second round of the elections, we call on the Georgian authorities and political parties to put an end to the malpractices observed during the first round. Last but not least, we count on the political class to show responsibility and maturity: they must put their nation's interest above party interests, turn the page of confrontation once and for all and implement much-needed reforms. The European Parliament remains ready to pursue its close cooperation with the Parliament of Georgia by providing assistance, including via its full spectrum of democracy-support activities, on the condition that our Georgian counterparts show a willingness to engage constructively in such activities“.
MEP Markéta Gregorová: Georgian people have shown that even in a tense atmosphere, they want to exercise their democratic rights in a peaceful way
`Georgian people have shown that even in a tense atmosphere, they want to exercise their democratic rights in a peaceful way`, - MEP MEP Markéta Gregorová (Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance) Said in an exclusive comment with Europe Time. "As we have observed, Saturday's elections have been mostly well-managed and calm. I thank the Georgian people for their approach to these elections - they have shown that even in a tense atmosphere, they want to exercise their democratic rights in a peaceful way. What we condemn is the situation just before the elections - with our own eyes we have seen advertisements inciting violence, heard testaments of pressure against various candidates, or the disproportionality of campaign funding between the government party and others. I do believe, however, that all the parties will now start to focus on fulfilling their promises, both to their citizens and to their partners, such as is the EU. We will observe it closely“, - MEP Markéta Gregorová said.
Ambassador Hubert Knirsch: All the parties that will come together to form the government in Germany, expressed their strong support for European integration
„The election is one step on the way to Georgia`s democratic development", - German Ambassador to Georgia Hubert Knirsch said in an exclusive interview with ‘Europetime’. „International observers observed organized voting days in line with legal requirements. On the other hand, they noticed an unequal playing field in the pre-election period. it was very difficult for smaller and new parties to compete with larger and existing parties, and they have given numerous examples of this. So, in the future, this is an issue that remains to be addressed", - Ambassador said. According to him, the observers undertook this very difficult task and carried out this election in an orderly and correct manner. The election is one step on the way to Georgia`s democratic development and it is an election that takes place under improved law as a result of the 19 April agreement, but it also shows that more things remain to be addressed and this remains the task of everybody concerned for parliament, the government, and especially for the political parties in their competition, in their interaction with each other, not only during the elections but also in the period before the next elections, which starts today", - Ambassador Hubert Knirsch said. As for the German elections and their influence on Georgia, Ambassador Hubert Knirsch said that all the parties that will come together to form the government in Germany have expressed their strong support for European integration. „We are observing the coalition-making process. All the parties that will come together to form the government in Germany, expressed their strong support for European integration. That was the issue that was important in the campaign, and this includes the EU's relations with its eastern neighbors, including Georgia. I am looking forward to future visitors from the German parliament and government who will bring these messages themselves", - Ambassador Hubert Knirsch said. Visa-Free and German Support were topics also Europetime`s interview with the German Ambassador to Georgia. He said that this is an issue that „we are observing all the time". Recently, the number of unjustified („unwarranted") asylum applications in Germany has risen. More recently, they have recently again been observing this and discussing it with the Georgian government, and this is a constant process", - Ambassador Hubert Knirsch said.
Ambassador Hubert Knirsch: The election is one step on the way to Georgia`s democratic development
„The election is one step on the way to Georgia`s democratic development“, - German Ambassador to Georgia Hubert Knirsch said in an exclusive interview with ‘Europetime’. „They (International Observers) observed organized voting days in line with legal requirements. on the other hand, they noticed an unequal playing field in the pre-election period. It was very difficult for smaller and new parties to compete with larger and existing parties and they have given some numerous sumps of this. So, In the future, this is an issue that remains to be addressed“, - Ambassador said. According to him, the observers undertook this a very difficult task and carried out this election in such an orderly and correctly. The election is one step on the way to Georgia`s democratic development and it is an election that takes plays under improved law as a result of the 19 April agreement, but it also shows that more things remain to be addressed and this remains the task of everybody concerned for parliament, government and especially for the political parties in their competition, in their interaction with each other not only during the elections, but also in the pre-election period which extra starts today“, - Ambassador Hubert Knirsch said.
What are MEPs' expectations for the upcoming October 2 local polls
Elections on October 2nd and their expectations were the topics of the exclusive comments by the MEPs. For example, Markéta GREGOROVÁ calls on all the running parties to try and calm their voters and create an atmosphere of respect towards each other. Andrius Kubilius wants the election to bring no further division, but a way to return to normalcy and focus on pro-European reforms in Georgian politics. Viola Von Cramon-Taubadel hopes that all parties will realize the momentous significance of these elections and work together towards a Georgia that is based on cooperation and not polarization. Europe Time presents their opinions: Markéta GREGOROVÁ Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance There has been an ongoing spurge of violence before the elections, and a fear that it will continue after them. I call on all the running parties to try and calm their voters and create an atmosphere of respect towards each other. Every party had a chance to show what they stand for-now it is up to the citizens to cast their ballot and make their decision, not up to the parties. I do hope that the observation missions will result in successful elections, void of any misdemeanor. Andrius KUBILIUS Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) I wish that the election would bring no further division, but a way to return to normalcy and focus on pro-European reforms in Georgian politics. Georgian Dream holds leading responsibility for that as the ruling party at the moment. It can contribute to stabilization by fulfilling its commitment under the April 19 agreement to hold national elections if in local elections it gets less than 43 percent of votes. Viola VON-Cramon-Taubadel - Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance My expectation and hope are that all parties will realize the momentous significance of these elections and work together towards a Georgia that is based on cooperation and not polarization. Just like Georgian voters, I also expect that politicians will learn to put the country’s interests above party interests and push important changes through parliament instead of the streets. On 2 October, the European Parliament will observe the local election in Georgia as part of the International Election Observation Mission, together with the OSCE ODIHR and the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. The delegation from the European Parliament is composed of seven MEPs: Michael Gahler (EPP, Germany) – Chair of the delegation Miriam LEXMANN (EPP, Slovakia) Marina KALJURAND (S&D, Estonia) Katalin CSEH (Renew, Hungary) Marketa GREGOROVA (Greens/EFA, Czechia) Jordi SOLÉ (Greens/EFA, Spain) Anna FOTYGA (ECR, Poland). The MEPs arrived in Georgia on 29 and 30 September.
Ben Hodges: The Kremlin is already alarmed at the potential for growth of Islamic extremism in Central Asia. Iran is not likely happy to see this instability, though they of course have no sympathy for the US or our allies
In an exclusive interview with Europetime, Former commander of the United States Army Europe, Lieutenant General, and the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), Ben Hodges talks about the mistakes made by the US administration in Afghanistan, the changing political landscape in Afghanistan and its impact on the rest of the region and Georgia, the need for the US to develop a comprehensive strategy for the greater Black Sea region to help Georgia achieve its priorities. Given what has been said, Ben Hodges also discusses what Georgia must do more to make itself attractive to investment. _in our interview with you, we discussed in detail the issue of Afghanistan - whether America should leave Afghanistan or not. We have witnessed how the processes have developed, with lightning speed and dramatically to some extent... How would you assess, first, the withdrawal of the allies from Afghanistan and then pulling out in such a form? In force majeure, after 20 years? I agreed with the decision of the president to withdraw. Staying longer, without dramatic changes to the overall strategy, was never going to change the eventual outcome. But the Administration could have done more to prepare for the large number of refugees seeking safety, especially those who had worked for or with us. And the Administration should have done a better job of consulting with our allies and partners about the timing of the withdrawal. Still, I must say I’m very impressed with the courage and skill of the pilots and soldiers and marines and diplomats on the ground who actually executed the withdrawal. _ Afghanistan, found in the hands of the Taliban after 20 years of vicissitudes, what does it mean? What is the lesson and experience for the Americans? We made several mistakes, and I was personally a part of those mistakes. First, we/I believed that Pakistan was an ally. Clearly, they were not; and we ignored the warning signs of this for too long. Second, we made a huge mistake diverting to Iraq right at the time we were about to conclude the original mission in Afghanistan. Third, the US government should have imposed a tax on all American citizens to pay for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The vast majority of Americans were not impacted by these wars unless they had family members involved or unless they lived near a large US military base. The result of this was that there was very little pressure from the public on any of the Presidential Administrations or the Congress to address these wars, get them right, or conclude them. Fourth, we made a mistake in the model we used for developing the Afghan security forces. We designed them to look like us, which means they would have to have overwhelming firepower, air support, endless logistics, and thousands of contractors to maintain so much equipment. This model collapsed when we pulled all of that out. I failed to realize this when I was there because I did see good, professional Afghan officers. But I failed to realize what I was actually seeing with my own eyes… The best Afghan unit I saw looked a lot like Taliban – pick-up trucks, no helmets, led by a US Army Green Beret lieutenant colonel. Finally, we lost sight of our original purpose – to deny safe haven for AQ in Afghanistan. The decision to transition to nation-building came later and that’s why we stayed for 20 years trying to do something for which we had not originally planned and which was never explained by any of the Presidential Administrations to the American people. _ Who is the winner or the loser in the Afghan process? What are the dangers of Taliban rule? Will these processes contribute to the growth of Russia’s influence over Central Asian countries? And will Russian-Chinese influences be further consolidated? The biggest losers in this whole situation are the Afghan people, especially but not only women and girls. Pakistan will regret that they supported the Taliban because now they have even more refugees inside Pakistan and more instability on their western border. China will pay for protection and access to mineral resources in Afghanistan. They will not care at all about human rights in Afghanistan, but they will have a concern about the influence of Islamic extremists on their own Uighur population. The Kremlin is already alarmed at the potential for growth of Islamic extremism in Central Asia. Iran is not likely happy to see this instability, especially given the Shia-Sunni frictions, though they of course have no sympathy for the US or our allies. _One of the directions of Georgia is also to become a transit corridor and a hub between Asia and Europe. It is important for the country to attract cargo from Central Asian countries through Georgia. Will the changing political landscape in Afghanistan, as well as Russia’s probably growing influence in Central Asian countries affect the rest of the region and Georgia, at least in this particular direction? I imagine there will be some impact but I’m more concerned about the lack of serious effort by the government of Georgia to make Georgia more attractive to Western investment… So much potential there but it has not been developed due to internal Georgian political problems. _It is clear that people in every country should want change and strive for the better and fight for it. But often, for one reason or another (obscure ugly rules, misinformation) which, in fact, is an integral part of hybrid warfare in this era, people fail to express themselves, to protest, or to fight. The pandemic seems to have divided the world rather than united it. Handling Russia and similar countries is like fighting a pandemic: you either unite and defeat what may sacrifice you tomorrow, or you lock yourself in your shell and think only of your own survival, which is temporary, because, reinforced and mutated, it will find you again and haunt you… So, I was wondering, isn’t it time for the EU and NATO to more effectively encourage the efforts of countries aspiring to the West? I believe Georgia should already be a member of NATO and that Ukraine should be on a very clear path to NATO membership. But there is more important work to be done now, by Georgia and Ukraine internally and by the USA to develop a strategy for the greater Black Sea region. Until the USA has further developed such a strategy and developed the necessary implementing policies of diplomacy, economy, and security with our friends in Georgia and Ukraine, I am not optimistic that membership is close at hand. Georgia must continue to do more to improve its own resilience against Kremlin disinformation and malign influence, but I sense that over the past year this has not gone as far in that direction as it should. _There is a feeling that Europe is most concerned about the issue of refugees when talking about Afghanistan. It is because of this sensitive issue that ultra-radical forces in the West are coming to the fore with populist slogans, which then raises even more problems. My question is whether the problem is only refugees or also illegal migration, weapons, drug trafficking, and terrorism. In your opinion, are these problems more complex and how can a solution be found? No doubt European nations and also the USA, are concerned about the flow and impact of refugees, and some nationalists and right-wing extremists will attempt to use this for their own selfish political aims. But in the case of Afghanistan, we have a responsibility to open our doors and find ways to accommodate as many of them as possible. Many of those who left Afghanistan are educated, professional and industrious, exactly the sort of women and men we all need in our own countries anyway. _In an interview with ‘Europetime’, Acting Assistant Secretary of State Philip T. Reeker said that the construction and development of large infrastructure projects, as well as direct American investments, are important for the country. Earlier, Senator Rob Portman told us that work is underway to open an American financial institution and on a free trade agreement with the United States. The question is what does the implementation of all this and the pace of implementation depend on? These depend primarily on two things: 1) is the development of a broad strategy for the greater Black Sea region that will address diplomatic and economic objectives and priorities and resources as well as military considerations. This strategy is essential if we are to invest time and money so that they make sense. 2) is that Georgia must do more to make itself attractive to investment; transparency on financial and legal transactions, meeting international standards for business investment and banking, and ensuring that money is not lost or illegally redirected into the accounts of a few rich oligarchs who are not truly interested in an improved future for the young people of Georgia.
Congressman Alex Mooney: The US-Georgia free trade relationship is a good prospect and opportunity
According to Congressman Alex Mooney in an exclusive interview with Europe Time, the US-Georgia free trade relationship is a good prospect and an opportunity. „I think it’s going to be a good prospect as free trade is something that is already happening in the world. I think free trade between our countries is a good possibility“. As for the issue of direct investment in Georgia, Congressman Alex Mooney answered a question in this regard. „I think it’s in America’s interest, in the world’s interest to have this kind of investment,", - Congressman Alex Mooney said. Exclusive: Senator Rob Portman: We should encourage more direct investment in Georgia Exclusive: Philip Reeker: The Anaklia Deep Sea Port and all the biggest infrastructure projects are a great opportunity
Carl Hartzell: European Union regrets that yet another commitment to reform the Judiciary was not upheld today
Today, the Georgian Parliament voted in the first reading on a number of important constitutional amendments that were tabled following the 19 April Agreement mediated by the European Union. Unfortunately, the key amendment on the election modalities of the Prosecutor General of Georgia was withdrawn, - stated Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia Carl Hartzell regarding with constitutional amendments passed in the first reading in the Georgian Parliament. „This amendment was due to address the way in which the Prosecutor General of Georgia is appointed, with the ambition to increase the required majority to a qualified majority, in order to ensure the broadest, cross-party support for appointments and to reduce the risk that one party can, alone, appoint a Prosecutor General in the future. This was another measure aimed to increase the independence, transparency, and quality of the Judiciary in Georgia. The principles behind this amendment have been a long-standing Venice Commission recommendation. Following Georgian Dream’s withdrawal from the 19 April Agreement, we also took note of the Party’s renewed and public commitment on 28 July, to nevertheless implement the judicial reforms and adopt the initiated constitutional amendments. The European Union regrets that yet another commitment to reform the Judiciary was not upheld today. We recall that last July, further appointments to the Supreme Court, alongside those made over the past two years, were assessed by the OSCE/ODIHR “to lack integrity, objectivity and credibility”. Last week, in the context of the non-disbursement of 75 million euros in EU macro-financial assistance, the EU noted that Georgia failed to sufficiently address the condition for this macro-financial assistance, and notably to increase the independence, accountability, and quality of the judicial system. Today’s withdrawal of the amendment is therefore the third setback within only two months, in terms of Georgia’s commitments to reform its Judiciary. The EU considers that strengthening safeguards in the field of the rule of law remains of crucial importance for the effective implementation of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement. The EU renews its call on all parties to redouble their efforts to work together in an inclusive process in parliament to implement key reforms to the judicial system. We reiterate that while the European Union remains fully committed to supporting Georgia’s reforms in line with the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, the EU’s assistance to Georgia remains conditional on progress on key reforms“, - reads the statement. US Embassy: Parliament’s failure to approve the Constitutional amendment aimed at ensuring broad support for an impartial Prosecutor General is another missed opportunity to increase the independence of Georgia’s judiciary
US Embassy: Parliament’s failure to approve the Constitutional amendment aimed at ensuring broad support for an impartial Prosecutor General is another missed opportunity to increase the independence of Georgia’s judiciary
Parliament’s failure today to approve the Constitutional amendment aimed at ensuring broad, multi-party support for an impartial Prosecutor General is another missed opportunity to increase the independence, transparency, and integrity of Georgia’s judiciary, - reads the statement issued by the US Embassy in Tbilisi. „The proposed change in the appointment process was recommended for Georgia by the Venice Commission, an international body of legal experts, in a report requested by Parliament, as well as other international experts. Equally as important, all of the political parties that signed the April 19 Agreement, including Georgian Dream, committed to making this change, to increase the public’s confidence in the independence of the Prosecutor General from political interference. We take note of opposition leaders’ comments that they were unable to support this important amendment to the Prosecutor General appointment process in order to retain the ruling party’s votes for the other important Constitutional amendments called for in the April 19 Agreement, which pertain to fully proportional elections, a two percent threshold, and factions. Georgian Dream’s refusal to support the Prosecutor General amendment contradicts the party’s July 28 reiteration of its commitment to implement the judicial reforms and adopt the Constitutional amendments laid out in the April 19 Agreement. This is yet another broken promise by the ruling party to make the much-needed judicial reforms that Georgian Dream and opposition party leaders have pledged, of their own accord, to adopt. The people of Georgia deserve an impartial, independent judiciary that is not used for political purposes. With an impartial judicial system, the public can have confidence that election results will be upheld fairly, business disputes will be resolved without favoritism, and political opponents will not be targeted unjustly for prosecution. Those qualified professionals in the Prosecutor’s Office, and the court system more broadly, should be allowed to uphold the law without political pressure. The Constitutional amendment reforming the appointment process for the Prosecutor General would have been an important step toward that goal. Georgian Dream and opposition parties pledged to renew their efforts to work together in Parliament in good faith to implement key reforms to the judicial system. They should follow through on their commitment to conduct an inclusive, multi-party assessment of the previous waves of judicial reform and develop initiatives that will further improve judicial transparency, impartiality, and accountability. These reforms are essential for Georgia’s European integration and, more importantly, for ensuring the people of Georgia have the impartial, professional justice system they deserve“, - reads the statement.
MEP Viola Von Cramon-Taubadel: The outcome, as well as the post-election events, will largely define the direction of EU-Georgia relations
EU-Georgia relations and other actual issues were a topic of the Europe Time interview with MEP, Viola Von Cramon-Taubadel, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance. She stated that the outcome of the election, as well as the events that follow, will largely determine the direction of EU-Georgia relations. This is why we are preparing a full-fledged observation mission from the European Parliament. I know that many other observers are also planning to come. This is a strong signal for everyone in Georgia who wants to live in a democratic country, "Viola Von Cramon-Taubadel said. Europetime spoke to MEP Viola Von Cramon-Taubadel: _What do the current circumstances in EU-Georgia relations specify? I believe that Georgian-EU relations definitely have had better times. Unfortunately, currently, we see a strong anti-EU disinformation campaign that is trying to sway public support for the EU. As a shadow rapporteur for the European Parliament’s special committee fighting disinformation, we take this subject very seriously. Similar disinformation campaigns can be observed in Ukraine and Moldova and can be traced to Russia. In addition, Georgian Dream’s decision to withdraw the signature of the agreement that the EU and President Charles Michel personally negotiated and where we invested so much energy has further harmed the relations between the EU and Georgia. The EU sees trust as a bedrock for stable partnership and breaking promises seriously breaches this trust. _How do you evaluate the US policy in the region and towards Georgia? The EU and the US share the same values and interests; this is particularly prevalent in Georgia. We have the same goals too: support the building of democratic institutions, strengthen the independent and transparent judiciary, make sure that the fundamental freedoms and rights of the people of Georgia are protected and respected. The EU and the US ambassadors, through their hard work, prepared the ground for the April 19th agreement. The Agreement is still in place with or without Georgian Dream’s signature. As for the region, during the most recent phase of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, both the EU and the US were largely absent. This, regrettably, allowed Russia to strengthen its positions in the Caucasus. Unfortunately, such a development further complicates Georgia’s security. _What could you say about the significance of the local elections? This election is extremely important despite being called "local elections". It has ramifications on national and international levels. The outcome, as well as the post-election events, will largely define the direction of EU-Georgia relations. This is why we are preparing a full-fledged observation mission from the European Parliament. I know that many other observers are also planning to come. This is a strong signal for everyone in Georgia who wants to live in a democratic country. Related article: MEP Viola von Cramon-Taubadel: I am afraid, after Georgian Dream's decision to "annul" the April 19th agreement, Georgia is farther from the EU than it was 3 months ago
Javier Colomina Piriz has been appointed NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the South Caucasus and Central Asia
Spanish Diplomat Javier Colomina Píriz has taken office as the new NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia. Colomina will also hold the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Before that, James Appathurai held the post. He replaced the late Robert F. Simmons – NATO’s first Special Representative - in December 2010. Appathurai previously served as NATO’s Spokesperson from 2004 to 2010. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Head and Senior Planning Officer in the Policy Planning and Speechwriting Section of NATO’s Political Affairs Division from 1998 to 2004. The NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative is responsible for carrying forward the Alliance’s policy in the two strategically important regions of the Caucasus and Central Asia. He provides advice to the Secretary-General on how best to achieve NATO’s goals in the two regions, and how best to address the security concerns of NATO’s partners. He is responsible for the overall coordination of NATO’s partnership policy in the two regions and works closely with regional leaders to enhance their cooperation with the Alliance. In the Caucasus, NATO works with Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia which are effectively the South Caucasus; and in Central Asia: Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The Special Representative also provides high-level support for the work of the NATO Liaison Officer for the South Caucasus in Tbilisi, Georgia, and for Central Asia based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. He works closely with the NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan in order to ensure that NATO’s policy in Central Asia fully supports NATO’s ongoing mission in Afghanistan. He liaises with senior officials from partner governments in the two regions and advises them on their overall process of reform and how best to use NATO partnership tools to implement those reforms. He also liaises with representatives of the international community and other international organizations engaged in the two regions in order to ensure the coordination of assistance programs. The Special Representative also promotes understanding about NATO and security issues more generally through engaging with the media and civil society in the two regions. The position of Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia was created on an ad hoc basis following the decision taken by NATO Allies at the Istanbul Summit in June 2004 to place a special focus on the strategically important regions of the Caucasus and Central Asia. A key element of this special focus was enhanced liaison arrangements, including the appointment of the Special Representative and two NATO Liaison Officers, one for each region. (The post of NATO Liaison Officer for Central Asia was later canceled in 2017, for budgetary reasons. However, NATO continues to maintain and seek to enhance its political dialogue and practical relations with its five Central Asian partners – practical liaison is now being conducted through NATO Headquarters and the NATO military structures.)
Irakli Gharibashvili: We have decided to refrain from taking the second part of the EU loan, as we have started reducing foreign debt
`we have decided to refrain from taking the second part of the EU loan“, - Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili said in response to the statement made by Irakli Kobakhidze, Chairman of the Georgian Dream, on the issue of macro-financial assistance of the European Union. According to him the main reason for this is that the government is trying to reduce foreign debt. `The tragedy is that the citizens of our country, including the former President of our country, Saakashvili, go to the structures of the European Union. As you know, he is in the European People's Party and he has made every effort to impose some sanctions on us. As for the macro-financial assistance, it is a loan, part of which we took in 2020. The second part of the 75 million euro loan was not a grant and assistance, but a loan. The Ministry of Finance will probably make a statement about this later. Given that we started reducing our foreign debt this year, it is highly likely that we will no longer need to receive this amount. We are grateful for all the help the EU has given us during the pandemic and in general for everything they are doing for us. We will continue to move in this direction. On the other hand, this issue has been politicized, so in order to avoid any insinuations, we have also decided to refrain from borrowing this second part. The main motive is that we have gradually started to reduce foreign debt. We have a two-digit economic path, the growth of July will be up to 10%, which in total will be 12.2% economic growth for 7 months. This will generate additional revenue in the budget and by maintaining this pace we will have double-digit economic growth by the end of the year. Our opponents have resorted to sabotage to somehow hinder our country's progress towards the West. This is a hostile, harmful attitude“, - said Gharibashvili.
EU Office: Georgia failed to sufficiently address the condition for the macro-financial assistance
Georgia failed to sufficiently address the condition for the macro-financial assistance, and notably, to increase the independence, accountability and quality of the judicial system, - EU Charge d’Affaires ad interim, Julien Crampes said at the briefing held at the EU Delegation Office in Georgia. The Government of Georgia notified the European Union of its decision to refrain from requesting EUR 75 million in EU macro-financial assistance. This amount was due to be disbursed before 30 September 2021, should Georgia have been in compliance with the mutually agreed commitments taken by its Government in September 2020, when signing the conditions for this assistance program. The macro-financial assistance, EUR 150 million in total out of which half has been disbursed, was aimed at assisting Georgia and its citizens in addressing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds were intended to be available for the benefit of the Georgian people. The European Union takes note of the reasoning provided by the Georgian Government on their decision not to ask the rest of the EU for macro-financial assistance. While we respect the decision of Georgian authorities, at the same time, we note that Georgia failed to sufficiently address the condition for this macro-financial assistance, and notably, to increase the independence, accountability, and quality of the judicial system. In particular, the selection for Supreme Court judges proceeded in the absence of legislative changes needed to ensure full compliance with all recommendations made by the Venice Commission. The process also failed to guarantee equal treatment of all candidates. Several further legal changes aimed at increasing transparency of the court system have not been adopted. The justice-related conditions of the macro-financial assistance were also commitments taken by Georgian political parties when signing the 19 April 2021 Agreement, mediated by the European Union. The EU calls on the Georgian authorities to uphold their reform commitments, including in the justice sector, in the interest of Georgian citizens and of the future of EU-Georgia relations. The EU will continue to closely monitor the situation. The EU underlines that while it remains fully committed to supporting Georgia’s reforms in line with the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, the EU’s assistance to Georgia remains conditional on progress on key reforms“, - said Julien Crampes.
MEP Marina Kaljurand: We still expect Georgia to fulfill what would have been the criteria for the disbursement
The EU tranche was a topic of the European Time comment with MEP, the Chair of the delegation to the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee, Marina Kaljurand. „Georgia is a sovereign country and we respect the Georgian authorities’ decision not to request this tranche of EUR 75 million EU macro-financial assistance, which was due to be conditionally disbursed by 30/09. We also understand the economic arguments justifying this decision, i.e. rapid economic recovery. That said, even if Georgia does not request the remaining tranche, we still expect them to fulfill what would have been the conditionality criteria for the disbursement, notably the reform of the justice sector (also pinpointed in the 19 April agreement brokered by Charles Michel)“, - said MEP Marina Kaljurand. The EU calls on the Georgian authorities to uphold their reform commitments. The EU’s assistance to Georgia remains conditional on progress on key reforms. Related article: MEP Markéta Gregorová: The funding has been conditional on fulfilling the political pre-conditions MEP Marina Kaljurand: we still expect them to fulfill what would have been the conditionality criteria for the disbursement, notably the reform of the justice sector (also pinpointed in the 19 April agreement brokered by Charles Michel)“, - said MEP Marina Kaljurand.
MEP Markéta Gregorová: The funding has been conditional on fulfilling the political pre-conditions
EU tranche was a topic of the Europetime comment with MEP Markéta Gregorová (Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance). She said that the funding has been conditional on fulfilling the political pre-conditions, including the respect of democratic principles, human rights, and the rule of law. „In the Memorandum of Understanding, which the Georgian government signed to receive the MFA funding, there are no consequences for not receiving the funding, so there is nothing, in particular, that will happen. Of course, the funding has been conditional on fulfilling the political pre-conditions, including the respect of democratic principles, human rights, and the rule of law, so I do hope this won't change Georgia's direction in this regard. But their decision is understandable, as they reached the legal limit of 60 % GDP of foreign debt during the pandemic and I understand they need to start changing it“, - said Markéta Gregorová. EU calls on the Georgian authorities to uphold their reform commitments, the EU’s assistance to Georgia remains conditional on progress on key reforms.
