President calls for “effective steps” to “restore” country’s image as US sanctions judges

Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili on Friday called for “effective steps” to restore the country’s image following the US Department of State decision on Wednesday to impose sanctions on four Georgian judges for alleged corruption. 

 

In her press briefing, the president said the move could be perceived “negatively” ahead of the EU’s decision on Georgia’s membership candidate status and affect the country’s European future. 

 

She said the steps “preventing the negative consequences” could  include investigation, analyzing the reasons behind the US decision or the re-composition of the High Council of Justice – an independent body appointing judges across the country. 

 

“An allied state may have mercilessly told us its mind, but let’s not get upset, angry or happy, let’s analyze what happened, what we need to improve. .Let’s show the world that we deserve a different assessment and we will achieve this goal, that will make us very happy,” the president said. 

 

She added the country “does not deserve” the issue of sanctioning the judges to become a reason for further deepening of political polarization in the country.