Member of the European Parliament Rasa Juknevičienė has voiced her strong support for pro-European Georgians and President Salome Zourabichvili in their ongoing struggle for democracy. In a statement, Juknevičienė outlined a series of recommendations to address the escalating political crisis in Georgia, which she attributed to the betrayal of the country’s European aspirations by Georgian leaders PM Irakli Kobakhidze and the founder of the ruling party Bidzina Ivanishvili.
Juknevičienė described the crisis as a direct result of Georgia’s deviation from its constitutional commitment to the European path and the use of violence against peaceful protesters. She warned that such actions play into the hands of the Kremlin.
To move forward, Juknevičienė proposed the following steps:
• An immediate halt to police violence against protesters and journalists.
• The resignation of Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Minister of Internal Affairs Vakhtang Gomelauri.
• Formation of a technocratic interim Government of National Unity led by President Zourabichvili.
• An EU-led investigation into the alleged brutality against journalists, protesters, and opposition figures.
• Imposition of targeted sanctions by the EU and transatlantic partners on individuals responsible for the violence, including Kobakhidze, Ivanishvili, and Gomelauri.
• Agreement among political parties to hold new parliamentary elections within three months, under the supervision of international democratic partners.
• The eventual establishment of a National Unity Government to oversee the country’s transition.
Juknevičienė emphasized the need for international partners, particularly the EU, to assist in negotiations and help guide Georgia out of its current political turmoil. She reiterated her solidarity with the Georgian people and their pursuit of a democratic and European future.
