‘Political agreement is a very important beginning of the new era, new situation in Georgia. It’s possible to find some kind of ways step by step to be part of European Union or even closer partner of European Union as it is now. We do reforms not only to officially become members of EU, it’s not enough to have official stamp that you are a member of EU, you need to be European, you need really to become a part of Europe doing reforms and changing the lives of the people everywhere, in social affairs, in economy, in culture… When political situation will be ready for invitation to become part of European Union, most important is that Georgia would be ready for that moment. It is also very important that a new generation come to the politics and change somehow the old traditions that were not the best. And that’s why I think the country went into this crisis. - In an exclusive interview with Europetime, MEP Rasa Yuknevichyan, Vice-Chair of the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee, talks about the amnesty negotiations, the EU-brokered political agreement in Georgia, the prospect of Georgia's accession to EU and NATO as well as Russia and the current developments in Ukraine.
_We have witnessed the unprecedented engagement of the European Union in resolving the political crisis in Georgia - the two-time visit of the President of the Council of Europe Charles Michel to Georgia, as well as the appointment of his special representative. In your opinion, what did these unprecedented efforts / engagement indicate, and whether this is to some extent related to recent developments in the region, I mean Karabakh, as there were some speculations that the West was rather late in responding there.
All Georgia’s friends here in European Parliament really are very happy that Charles Michel decided to mediate or to be part of negotiations in this one of the deepest political crisis after the parliamentary elections and of course it is not related to other crises in the region maybe because the crises are very different; military actions or real war which happened because of Karabakh is one thing, and the European Union of course is not a military organization to prevent or to help in this way. But Georgia with the European Union is part of Association Agreement, important side of that and only two countries - Georgia and Ukraine are under this comprehensive and strong relationship from all six Eastern European partnership countries. So, of course Georgia is very important for European Union and that’s why I think that Georgia matters, but on the other hand we hope that for Georgian politicians EU also matters, and I hope that it will be in the future as well.
_After the agreement, the opposition entered parliament for the first time. The agreement was signed by the opposition, with the exception of a few parties. How would you assess the current dynamics and ongoing negotiations on the amnesty bill?
First of all I hope that all political opposition parties will be back to the parliament and this problem will be solved. I understand how important it is. All parties will be back. I understand how important the issue of political prisoners is and also European Union will offer its support as well. As I know Nika Melia accepted proposal to pay the payment and that crisis will be solved.
_Now that the agreement has been signed, how do you think the relations between the EU and Georgia will develop? As we know, the Government of Georgian has announced its goal to apply for EU membership in 2024.
This agreement I think is a very important beginning of the new era, new situation in Georgia. And Georgia needs new drive not to be a hostage of one or another personality but to build a really responsible political system, political parties with responsible leadership. The year 2024 is an ambitious goal to deliver the official document for future membership in European Union in one or another form. So, it is very important for Georgia to be leader on this way, leader of democratic reforms, leader of parliamentarianism, leader on possibilities to give up with the past not the best traditions in politics, I mean haters, hate speeches, how opposition is treated. It is a full understanding that both sides - ruling party and opposition are very important for Georgia to achieve these goals. So it is very important that a new generation come to the politics and change somehow the old traditions that were not the best. And that’s why I think the country went into this crisis.
We had very important meetings with the ruling party and opposition and they understand these goals. All of them declared they are very much pro-European and that the Euro-Atlantic path for them is very important, and I hope that this goal will unite political parties. And although they have different understanding on the future of some domestic issues, it’s very important to unite themselves for these global issues for Georgia.
_Do you think that Georgia should get the prospect of EU membership? How realistic is it that the EU will grant Georgia candidate status, or can there be another initiative, for example, a kind of special partnership?
Of course it is realistic but we have to find together the realistic ways, maybe not membership next day after the application, of course not, but it’s possible to find some kind of ways step by step to be part of European Union or even more close partner of European Union as it is now. All the cards now are in the hands of Georgia. I’m always saying these reforms are not for European Union. You need to do reforms for membership - these reforms first of all are for the people in Georgia and if you will do these reforms despite the fact that you still do not have official invitation, it will be positive for Georgia, for the development of Georgia, for the people, for their lives. So, countries that joined the EU enjoy a lot of benefits.
We did reforms not only because officially became members of EU, it’s not enough to have official stamp that you are a member of EU, you need to be European, you need really to become a part of Europe doing reforms and changing the lives of the people everywhere, in social affairs, in economy, in culture… if day x will come when political situation will be ready for invitation to become part of European Union, you will be ready. Most important is that Georgia when the day x will come would be ready for that moment.
_As for Ukraine, do you think the tactics “let’s not provoke Russia” does not actually work the time has come for Ukraine and Georgia to join NATO?
So, Russia’s military buildup next to Ukraine is not over. By this moment they may have declared that they will decrease the number of troops there but it did not happen and they still are occupying Crimea and they are in Eastern Ukraine. So, I think the story is not over yet. But on the issue when some politicians in European Union still think that ‘don’t provoke Russia and it will help’ I don’t think so. I think it was a mistake then in 2008 when NATO Membership Action Plan was not provided for Georgia and Ukraine in Bucharest and it provoked Russia to act against Georgia because they understood this is weakness of NATO not to be strong enough to provide this Membership Action Plan; so it’s opposite, Putin is acting as an opportunist and he is acting as much as he is allowed sometimes to act. So I think that the biggest provocation for Russia is to leave countries like Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova and other countries in this vacuum of security. So, vacuum of security is the highest provocation for Putin to act.
