European Council President Charles Michel, who arrived in Georgia shortly after the government and the opposition signed the EU-proposed agreement, has left for Brussels on Wednesday morning.
After a meeting with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili yesterday, Michel said he is happy Georgian political parties have managed to reach an agreement.
“Today marks the start of hard work that will take Georgia forward along its Euro-Atlantic path,” he stated.
With @Zourabichvili_S and all leaders after reaching the agreement on the way out of the political crisis.
Today marks the start of hard work that will take Georgia 🇬🇪 forward along its Euro-Atlantic path.
This achievement is yours.
Now the challenge is to make this work. pic.twitter.com/lsX58soIdC
— Charles Michel (@eucopresident) April 20, 2021
The ruling team and a part of the opposition parties have signed the new agreement presented by Michel on April 19.
Charles Michel’s new proposal implies electoral and justice reforms and offers a pardon for all violations and convictions stemming from the 19-21 June 2019 protests.
Based on the mediators’ document, the persons assessed as political prisoners should be released within a week after the signing of the agreement between the government and the opposition. In addition, based on Charles Michel’s proposal, early elections in Georgia should be called in 2022 if the ‘Georgian Dream’ gets less than 43% of votes in the local elections.
Opposition parties that have signed the EU-mediated agreement with the ruling Georgian Dream party will enter the Parliament on April 27 to submit an amnesty bill.
At this stage, the document is signed by opposition parties ‘Lelo,’ ‘Citizens,’ ‘Republicans,’ ‘Strategy Builder,’ ‘Girchi,’ ‘Girchi – For More Freedom’ and ruling party ‘Georgian Dream.’
Presently, only ‘United National Movement’ and ‘European Georgia’ refuse to sign the updated compromise document.
By Ana Dumbadze
Image source: 1TV.ge
Related Story: European Council President Makes New Proposal to Georgian Political Parties
