At the European Parliament plenary debate on further deterioration of the political situation in Georgia, MEPs also discussed the recent attack on former prime minister Giorgi Gakharia.
Their reactions were as follows:
Tobias CREMER (Germany), Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament – “Last week, former Georgian Prime Minister, Giorgi Gakharia was brutally attacked by a group of government thugs, including a Georgian Dream so called MP armed with a gun. Gakharia was left bleeding with broken bones, and had to be hospitalized”.
Sergey LAGODINSKY (Germany), Group of Greens/European Free Alliance, Chair of the Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly – “The party that calls itself Georgian Dream, using the full force of its authority to prosecute journalists, attack peaceful protestors and even the opposition and former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, who was attacked in a brutal way just a couple of days ago”.
Marcos ROS SEMPERE (Spain), Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament – “In Georgia, we see political violence, attacks on leaders of the opposition, and I expressly want to recall Giorgi Gakharia, one of the opposition leaders, who had to be admitted to hospital following an attack”.
Rasa JUKNEVIČIENĖ (Lithuania), European People’s Party – “One of the position leaders, Giorgi Gakharia has been brutally beaten… Europe must impose sanctions to those responsible, particularly Bidzina Ivanishvili”.
Nacho SANCHEZ AMOR (Spain), Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament – “Some colleagues have also referred to the attack on Giorgi Gakharia, the former Prime Minister of the country, by armed individuals from the ruling party. That incident and many others reflect an element of absolute impunity”.
Dainius ŽALIMAS (Lithuania), Renew Group – “In Georgia, citizens striving for democracy suffer brutality. Last week, Giorgi Gakharia, one of the opposition leaders, and Zviad Koridze, TI Georgia, were attacked and severely beaten”.
Giorgi Gakharia and Zviad Koridze were attacked and physically assaulted in Batumi by Georgian Dream “deputy” Dito Samkharadze, along with his associates. The attack took place at the Sheraton Hotel. Gakharia was taken to the clinic with a fractured nasal bone and a concussion. He left the clinic of his own accord. An investigation has been launched under the article “Violence.”
Image source: Mtavari Arkhi
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