Opposition leader Khoshtaria’s case highlights gap between Georgia and EU candidate countries, expert

Gigi Gigiadze, Senior Research Fellow at the Economic Policy Research Center, has argued that the treatment of opposition politician Elene Khoshtaria in prison illustrated the difference between Georgia and countries advancing toward European Union membership.

Commenting on Khoshtaria's situation, Gigiadze claimed that the authorities are carrying out a "punitive operation" against the opposition leader over an incident that, in his view, would not be considered a criminal offence in a democratic country.

"We are witnessing a situation in which the health condition of a political leader is deteriorating significantly. This single case demonstrates the substantial difference between Georgia and other EU candidate countries. It also shows why the European Union is opening accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, but not with Georgia," Gigiadze said.

He expressed solidarity with Khoshtaria and described her prosecution as politically motivated.

Khoshtaria's lawyer, Shota Tutberidze, said this week the opposition politician is experiencing serious health problems, including severe joint pain, mobility difficulties and an inability to write at times. According to the lawyer, she currently requires a walking stick for movement.