Georgian authorities and opposition accuse each other of provoking political crisis

The Georgian opposition’s reluctance to abandon the idea of holding repeat parliamentary elections has led to a threat to disrupt Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration, members of the ruling “Georgian Dream” Party suggest. The restriction of EU funding will hit the entire Georgia, although only the country’s authorities should be responsible for the political crisis, the opposition argues.

On April 1, a group of members of the European Parliament (MEPs) released a joint statement in which they warned the Georgian authorities against the consequences of a lack of compromise on overcoming the political crisis. In particular, the statement mentions the suspension of further financial transfers. “We call on the leaders of Georgia to take immediate actions. The future of relations between the EU and Georgia is at stake,” the “Georgia Online” quoted today the MEP’s statement as emphasizing.

After the joint statement released by the MEPs, the Euro-Atlantic integration of Georgia is in real danger, believes Khatiya Dekanoidze, a member of the “United National Movement” (UNM) Party. “For the first time in the history of Georgia, there is a real threat to the Euro-Atlantic future of the country,” said Khatiya Dekanoidze as quoted on the website of the “Rustavi-2” TV Channel.

Only the authorities should be responsible for the current political crisis in Georgia, while the consequences of the restrictions of EU funding threaten the entire country, emphasizes Grigol Gegeliya, a member of the “Lelo” Party. The “Georgian Dream” Party is doing everything so that the dialogue between the authorities and the opposition does not continue in a constructive manner, notes Grigol Gegeliya as quoted today by the “Rustavi-2” TV Channel.

The “Georgian Dream” Party will no longer consider the initiative of early elections raised by the opposition, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili announces. “We will not have time to waste it on these useless and absolutely unproductive negotiations <...> There are no question marks with regard to the legitimacy of the [election] results,” said Irakli Garibashvili as quoted today on the website of the Georgian “First Channel”.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 2, 2021 at 02:00 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.