The European Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) adopted a resolution regarding Georgia – “Standards of fair elections and democratic reforms for the integration of Georgia into the European Union”.
- The resolution supports the unwavering desire of the Georgian people to join the European Union and calls on the West to impose personal sanctions on Georgian Dream Chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili and his family for expelling Georgia from the European Union and NATO and moving towards authoritarianism.
- The document calls on the highest political bodies of the European Union to refrain from contact with the representatives of the Georgian Dream government.
- Along with this, the resolution calls on Dream to end the disinformation campaign against EU countries and the organization supporting democracy in Georgia. Also, political persecution in Georgia should be stopped and political prisoners, including President Mikheil Saakashvili, should be released.
The resolution emphasizes the need for free and fair elections in October 2024, as a crucial prerequisite defined by the European Commission.
Also, it emphasizes the importance of Georgia’s EU candidate status and consideration of the nine recommendations of the European Commission. “Holding the EU integration process by adopting the ‘Russian law’ and demanding its repeal in order to start accession negotiations. “The support of the Georgian civil society and critical media, which are the main targets of the ‘Russian law’.
Full observance of the Copenhagen criteria, especially in the process of building democratic institutions and aligning foreign and security policy with the European Union”, the resolution states.
In addition, the resolution expresses support for the unwavering desire of the Georgian people to join the European Union.
The resolution also supports: Georgia’s full access to pre-accession financial assistance funds to support economic and democratic development in line with EU standards, subject to conditions being met- President Salome Zurabishvili’s “Georgian Charter” and essential reforms to enable the start of EU membership negotiations- Formation of opposition coalitions, promoting a pluralistic political environment and preventing the loss of votes.
The resolution adopted by ALDE expresses concern over the “Kremlin-style prosecution of activists protesting against the ‘Foreign Agents’ law in April and May 2024”.
Also, “due to ongoing political persecution in Georgia, including against President Saakashvili and other political prisoners”.
The resolution also expressed concern over “the non-fulfillment of the nine conditions of the European Union” in order to receive candidate status by Georgian Dream, which indicates the regression of the rule of law and anti-corruption efforts. “Due to anti-Western campaigns and disinformation spread by government officials, misleading and intimidating citizens, regarding integration into the European Union. “The resolution condemns “threatening phone calls, raids on opposition party and civil society offices, kidnappings, beatings of demonstrators, ambushes and physical attacks on the homes of opposition leaders and civil activists.” This violates democratic principles and human rights. The ALDE resolution also calls on the European Union Commission to categorically oppose violence or election fraud, and to send clear messages about this to the Georgian government.
The resolution also calls for: “Renew Europe” group of the European Parliament to mobilize support for the implementation of the European Parliament resolution.- Personal sanctions should be imposed on Bidzina Ivanishvili and her family for expelling Georgia from the European Union and NATO and moving towards authoritarianism.- To end the disinformation campaign of “Georgian Dream” against EU countries and organizations supporting democracy in Georgia.- Stop political persecution and immediately release political prisoners, including ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili.- Stop the prosecution of activists and demonstrators who protested the ‘Russian law’ and cancel their sentences.- The new, democratically elected government should commit to the reforms and the nine conditions and immediately start the negotiations related to the accession to the European Union.- EU and European countries to increase their support to civil society, along with enhanced election monitoring.- Like the United States of America, the European Commission should impose sanctions on those politicians who participate in the adoption of the ‘Russian law’ and anti-democratic processes.- The highest political bodies of the European Union should refrain from contact with the representatives of the Georgian Dream government”, reads the resolution.
