Parliament Speaker calls on EU Commission to define its note on de-oligarchization

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili called on the European Commission on Tuesday to define a note in its recommendations over de-oligarchization, as the “term has been used [by various forces] to insult the government.”

The 12-point priorities set by the EU commission Georgia needed to address to receive the candidate status by the end of this year, included a section on the necessity of moves  against oligarchy.

The opposition suggested that the section concerned the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili, describing him as an “informal ruler” of the country.

“The de-oligarchization, on how the term is being used now, is insulting to Georgian democracy as those using it are trying to say that the government is a tool in the hands of someone,” Papuashvili said.

Georgian PM Irakli Garibashvili sent a letter to the European Commission head on July 18 in which he called on the Commission to distance itself from “unfounded allegations” against Ivanishvili.