I understand that business with Russia is good and the growth of Georgia's gross domestic product last year was impressive, but belonging to the European Union is about common values and obligations, and it is not only about the growth of GDP, MEP Marina Kaljurand said in her speech at the 12th session of the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee in Brussels.
In her remarks, the MEP claimed Georgia “lags behind” Ukraine and Moldova - that were granted the EU candidacy last year, while Georgia obtaining a European perspective alone - for several “key areas” for the bloc, accusing the Georgian government of “anti-Western” rhetoric and “ambiguous” approach to Russia on the backdrop of its ongoing aggression against Ukraine.
"[Georgia] lags behind [Ukraine and Moldova] due to lack of political justice, judicial independence, intimidation and violence against independent journalists, hate speech against Western diplomats, members of the European Parliament and representatives of [domestic] civil society”, the MEP claimed.
She said the Georgian police ‘brutally dispersed peaceful demonstrators” in April during protests of the controversial foreign agents bill, and cited Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili as saying at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Hungary in May that promoting LGBT rights meant minority’s violence against the majority.
Kaljurand said the Georgian PM had also accused the west of “taking actions to drag Georgia” into the Russia-Ukraine conflict, before pointing to his office’s “persistent refusal” to join the EU sanctions and the recently renewed direct flights between Russia and Georgia.
"As I said, the window of opportunity is still open. The Government of Georgia and the ruling party will have to choose between two ways - one goes to the future with the EU, the other back to the past. The choice is yours”, said the MEP.
Responding to the claims, Justice Minister Rati Gregadze said it was Kaljurand’s “personal opinion”, while the current Government was “being praised” by European partners for its EU efforts.
He also said the allegations “lack” evidence, pointing to the “highest-level of independence” in domestic judiciary.
“Georgia will definitely join the EU and everyone will see how opinions differ in the EP”, the Minister claimed.
Ana Tsitlidze, a member of the United National Movement opposition party, urged the EU to grant Georgia its candidacy by the end of this year “whatever the actions of the Georgian government are to damage the country’s European course”, claiming the “Georgian people deserve the status”.
