Prepared by Messenger Staff
Gia Volski Dismisses PACE Resolution, Denies Georgia's Shift from European Course
First Vice-Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Gia Volski, rejected the critical resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), saying the accusations it contains, particularly claims of a shift in Georgia's foreign policy, are unfounded and politically motivated.
"There is no sign that the elections in Georgia were rigged, especially since there is an absolutely shameless accusation regarding the change of foreign policy, which has no basis," Volski said.
According to Volski, the resolution's narrative serves a political agenda aimed at destabilizing Georgia. "This 'speculation' carries a certain political content, which is called promoting the development of the destabilization process in Georgia," he said.
Volski argued that any objective observer would recognize the resolution's criticisms as baseless. "There are several interesting passages in this resolution, and objective observers, without any party bias, will easily notice that the accusation that Georgia has deviated from the European course is unfounded."
He also compared Georgia's stance on Russia with that of other European nations, stating: "The only thing that can be said is that we have not really declared an economic war on Russia, but all three Baltic countries export more to Russia than we do, and other European countries do not shy away from quite intensive trade relations."
Refuting claims that Georgia halted its European integration process, Volski emphasized the country's readiness to proceed with accession talks. "We have not suspended it, and moreover, we are ready to start the negotiation process tomorrow. There are about 40 different issues and we are already ready to start negotiations on a significant part."
Looking ahead, he reaffirmed the government's commitment to EU membership. "And in 2028, we will be fully prepared to achieve the final goal of this process in 2030, and we will have absolutely all the data for accession to the European Union," Volski said.
Public Defender Meets Chiatura Miners Amid Ongoing Crisis
Public Defender Levan Ioseliani met with Chiatura miners on April 10 to hear their concerns over mass dismissals, poor working conditions, and unpaid compensation. According to a statement from the Public Defender's Office, miners requested Ioseliani's mediation with relevant agencies to help resolve the crisis.
At the meeting, Ioseliani noted the worsening social and economic conditions in Chiatura, where many residents were employed in manganese mining. "Leaving thousands of people unemployed and without a source of livelihood. violates the human right to work and a dignified life," he said. He also highlighted the severe environmental damage caused by open-pit mining in the area.
The mining company Georgian Manganese halted operations in January, citing "radical" protests in the village of Shukruti. While the company had promised to pay 60% of workers' salaries and maintain insurance coverage, miners say they never received the promised payments, prompting the ongoing protests. Ioseliani assured workers he would push to raise their issues with decision-makers.
