The News in Brief
Thursday, July 20, 2023
Prepared by Messenger Staff
Concerns Raised by European Parliamentarian Andrews Kubilius Over Georgian Government's Commitment to EU Membership
During an interview with 'Formula', European Parliamentarian Andrius Kubilius raised concerns about the Georgian government's dedication to Georgia's ambition of joining the European Union. Kubilius pointed out that the conduct exhibited by government representatives contradicts the standards expected from a country aspiring to become an EU member.
"This is not a political issue but a humanitarian one. It is evident that Mikheil Saakashvili is suffering in prison, so we have appealed to the government of Georgia, specifically the ruling party, to demonstrate humanity. I will refrain from discussing the politicization of the law, but it is purely a humanitarian matter.
I witnessed the strong reaction from the leaders of the ruling party, including statements from the Speaker of the Parliament and the Prime Minister, who expressed their displeasure towards the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). I am not surprised by their reactions, but such behavior is quite different from what we would expect from a country aspiring to become an EU member.
I still have doubts about whether the Georgian government truly desires Georgia's membership in the European Union. At times, it appears they are actively working against attaining candidate status. Their daily actions towards the opposition, media, and minority groups suggest that they are attempting to dissuade the European Union from granting Georgia candidate status," Andrius Kubilius stated.
Maka Bochorishvili Addresses Polish MFA's Statement on Doctor Incident
Maka Bochorishvili, Chairman of the European Integration Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, expressed her concern regarding the statement released by the Polish Foreign Ministry. Bochorishvili stated that she perceived the exploitation of Georgian goodwill in an untrustworthy manner. She specifically referred to the Polish Foreign Ministry's statement regarding the disclosure of the search record of the Polish doctor who visited Mikheil Saakashvili at the Vivamed Clinic in Tbilisi.
Bochorishvili stated that Georgia's decision to permit the visit of Polish doctors to treat Mikheil Saakashvili was founded on the principles of good cooperation.
"I also failed to appreciate their actions during this visit, which was really confusing and indicated that there were no good intentions here. Such a statement is incomprehensible to us when we are talking about emotions, while the goodwill of the Georgian side was used so dishonestly," said Bochorishvili.
Concerns Raised by European Parliamentarian Andrews Kubilius Over Georgian Government's Commitment to EU Membership
"This is not a political issue but a humanitarian one. It is evident that Mikheil Saakashvili is suffering in prison, so we have appealed to the government of Georgia, specifically the ruling party, to demonstrate humanity. I will refrain from discussing the politicization of the law, but it is purely a humanitarian matter.
I witnessed the strong reaction from the leaders of the ruling party, including statements from the Speaker of the Parliament and the Prime Minister, who expressed their displeasure towards the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). I am not surprised by their reactions, but such behavior is quite different from what we would expect from a country aspiring to become an EU member.
I still have doubts about whether the Georgian government truly desires Georgia's membership in the European Union. At times, it appears they are actively working against attaining candidate status. Their daily actions towards the opposition, media, and minority groups suggest that they are attempting to dissuade the European Union from granting Georgia candidate status," Andrius Kubilius stated.
Maka Bochorishvili Addresses Polish MFA's Statement on Doctor Incident
Bochorishvili stated that Georgia's decision to permit the visit of Polish doctors to treat Mikheil Saakashvili was founded on the principles of good cooperation.
"I also failed to appreciate their actions during this visit, which was really confusing and indicated that there were no good intentions here. Such a statement is incomprehensible to us when we are talking about emotions, while the goodwill of the Georgian side was used so dishonestly," said Bochorishvili.