Rasa Juknevičienė: Georgia in crisis

2024-11-30 |

As a true believer in European values, and a friend of democratic Georgia, I cannot just silently watch what is happening now in Georgia.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Bidzina Ivanishvilli, Georgia’s sole oligarch who has managed to capture the state of Georgia, have created a deep political crisis in the country. This crisis was created because both of them betrayed Georgia’s European path, enshrined in its constitution, and legitimised the use violence against protesters. All this is done either deliberately or because of stupidity.
Kremlin is happy.
All responsible Georgians – even those in the ruling “Georgian Dream” party, the opposition, civil society, President Salome Zourabichvili – and the international community of friends of a democratic European Georgia should immediately start negotiations on a political way out of this crisis.
The first steps should be:
An immediate decision by the Government of Georgia to stop the violence of police and special forces;
Immediate resignation of Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Minister of Internal Affairs Vakhtang Gomelauri;
Establishing of an interim technocratic Government of National Unity, the process to be led by President Salome Zourabichvili;
An EU-led international investigation of the crimes of brutality against journalists, opposition representatives, and protesters;
Immediate individual sanctions by the EU and transatlantic partners against Bidzina Ivanishvili, Irakli Kobakhidze, Vakhtang Gomelauri, and those bearing political responsibility for the crimes of brutality;
Agreement of Georgian political parties on new Parliamentary elections to be held in three months’ time, the organization of which will be carried out with the assistance of democratic partners from the international community.
Political preparation for the formation of a National Unity Government following the new Parliamentary elections.
Providing assistance by international partners and EU representatives in the negotiations and in achieving the agreement among the Georgian political forces and civil society on a way out of the dangerous political crisis in Georgia.