Diplomatic Corps Representatives Hold Meeting with Rati Bregadze at Ministry of Justice in Georgia
By Liza Mchedlidze
Friday, May 19, 2023
Representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Georgia met with Justice Minister Rati Bregadze at the Ministry of Justice. The meeting was attended by representatives from the embassies of the European Union, its member states, the USA, the United Kingdom, and Norway.
The meeting was organized at the initiative of the Ministry of Justice, with the primary focus on the recent decision made by the Strasbourg court concerning the former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili.
Anna Maria Siko, the Ambassador of Hungary to Georgia, stated that during the meeting with Minister of Justice Rati Bregadze, the representatives of the diplomatic corps were provided with assurances that Georgia is committed to taking care of all prisoners, including Saakashvili. According to Siko, the meeting was engaging and productive, with a fruitful discussion taking place. Anna Maria Siko told the media that the Ambassadors were given reassurances during the meeting that Saakashvili would receive adequate medical care.
"Our concern is to ensure that Georgia demonstrates care for all prisoners. Regardless of whether a prisoner was a former politician or has any other background, they should be treated fairly. On the path to EU membership, the principles of the rule of law, fairness, and equality for all must prevail. We received a guarantee that Georgia takes care of all prisoners, including Saakashvili," stated Siko.
Maria Theodorou, the Ambassador of Greece to Georgia, also expressed that the meeting between the representatives of the diplomatic corps and Minister of Justice Rati Bregadze was productive. According to her, during the meeting, various aspects concerning the Strasbourg court's decision on Saakashvili's case were explained in detail.
"We met with the Minister of Justice to get the last information regarding the Saakashvili case, after the decision of the Strasbourg court. Our discussion was productive and friendly as always. In my opinion, many things have been explained regarding this situation", said Maria Theodorou.
When asked about whether the matter of Saakashvili's health was addressed during the meeting, Maria Theodorou responded:
"We are not medical professionals. Like everyone else, we rely on information provided through the media. Our primary focus is that Georgia adheres to the same standards as other European countries, particularly in terms of respecting the rights of all citizens. This remains our primary concern," stated Theodorou.
