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• President of Georgia delivers her annual report in parliament

  “With the incomprehensible steps taken in recent years, the government is confronting the country’s foreign objective, the people’s mandate, by inviting Gavrilov, you raised doubts and questions for the first time,” said Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili when delivering her annual report in the parliament.

  According to Zourabichvili, the Georgian government gradually transformed.

  “Instead of strengthening state institutions, being the cornerstone of democracy, the one-party system and its influence get stronger. Laws adopted in an expedited manner (on covert recordings, abolishment of state inspector, changes in the rule for appointment of judges and foreign agents bill) serve your power’s prolongation instead of serving democracy strengthening and citizens’ welfare. The court reform, vital for the country’s future, is at a deadlock,” President said.

  Salome Zourabichvili went on to say that the ruling party members speak in unison, and those having different viewpoints, tend to quit the party.

  “The party influence is evident in the government and parliament. The party turned into a decision-making space. The party chairman announces his standpoint on all political issues in advance, and the decision-making process is vague, not to mention open discussions.

  You are the government confronting the country’s foreign goal, the people’s mandate. By inviting Gavrilov (Russian MP) in 2019, you raised doubts and questions for the first time, though the actual transformation began in 2021 when the Georgian Dream former Chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili quit politics,” she said.

  President also recalled the annulling of the document drafted with the engagement of the European Council President and rejection of the EU loan.

  “You have never stopped the anti-European rhetoric, blaming and insulting our partners. All this finally came to the extent that we expelled the former EU ambassador from the country with reprimands and accusations,” Zourabichvili stated.

  Source: https://1tv.ge/lang/en/news/president-delivers-her-annual-report-in-parliament/

• Georgia: EU welcomes withdrawal of draft legislation on “foreign influence”

  The EU Delegation to Georgia has welcomed today’s announcement by the Georgian ruling party ‘Georgian Dream” that it would withdraw the draft legislation on the “Transparency of foreign influence”. 

  “We encourage all political leaders in Georgia to resume pro-EU reforms, in an inclusive and constructive way and in line with the 12 priorities for Georgia to achieve candidate status,” the Delegation said on Twitter.

  On 7 March, the bill passed its first reading in the Georgian parliament, despite widespread protests.

  The EU said the law was incompatible with EU values and standards and goes against Georgia’s stated objective of joining the European Union, adding that this is “a very bad development for Georgia and its people”.

  Find out more

  Press release

• According to Droa, L. Ioseliani and representatives of Georgian Dream did not attend the PACE voting procedure where Russia was declared a terrorist regime

  According to Droa, Levan Ioseliani and representatives of Georgian Dream did not attend the PACE voting procedure where Russia was declared a terrorist regime.

  "On October 13, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe voted to declare Russia a terrorist regime. The voting process was attended by 100 representatives of the member states, of which only one abstained from taking a position, and 99 unanimously declared Russia a terrorist regime.

  The representatives of Georgia­n Dream, as well as the member of the Citizens party, the deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Levan Ioseliani, did not attend the mentioned vote and, therefore, did not support the declaration of Russia as a terrorist regime.

  Only Khatia Dekanoidze (UNM) attended the voting from Georgia, who supported the said decision. This is confirmed by the data of the voting archive of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

  This step once again emphasizes the loyalty of Georgia­n Dream to Putin's regime and the fact that Russia is a natural political and civilizational space for them.

  For Georgia, as a state occupied by Russia and a country with a Russian colonial past, the mentioned fact and the pro-Russian rule of Georgia­n Dream are not only shameful, but also pose a danger for us to stay in the ruins of a defeated imperial state. We must do everything to get our homeland back and finally establish a place for it in the Euro-Atlantic family," Dr­oa says in a statement and shares the relevant link: https://pace.coe.int/en/votes/39122

• WORKING MEETING OF MEMBERS OF OPPOSITION PARTIES WITH CIVIL SECTOR

  According to the administration of the Parliament of Georgia, members of the faction "National Movement - Strength is in Unity" and political groups "Lelo - Partnership for Georgia" and "Reforms Group", as well as independent MPs, held a working meeting with representatives of non-governmental organizations regarding EC’s 12 recommendations.

  The parties discussed the legislative measures required for the execution of the aforementioned suggestions and gave their perspectives on each one.

  "We began the implementation phase of EC’s recommendations in close collaboration with the civil sector. In all twelve directions, we summarized the current state of affairs. We talked about 4-5 themes that are being created as legislative initiatives as well as 7-8 specific draft laws. It was discovered that extra meetings are required in a number of sectors. We continue to believe that in order to accomplish this crucial phase, Georgia's forces must be united as a whole. There are a couple of issues that we have also identified where we might back a political product developed with input from members of the ruling team. The most important thing is that we begin the autumn session with serious thoughts and ideas related to this specific issue. The government's ideas and problems are welcome for discussion. Because Europe anticipates us to have solidified and agreed-upon positions, we are prone to seeking consensus", - David Usupashvili, Chairman of the political group "Lelo - Partnership for Georgia” stated.

  "The work procedure is actually coming to a close. Only four topics — justice, de-oligarchization, electoral reforms, and media-related issues — will be the subject of additional civil sector perspectives next week. The final text will therefore be made available to the public following the gathering of these four working groups. By the middle of September, we anticipate submitting those legislative packages to the Parliament that have not yet been registered", - Giorgi Vashadze, a member of the political group "Reforms Group" stated.

  He also thanked his opposition colleagues and representatives of the civil sector for their active cooperation in the working groups and noted that this is exactly the process that Georgia needs to get the status of the European Union.

  "We will uphold a document that we can call - "Mechanism for rapid accession to EU candidate status". This will be a document that we will sign with its legislative amendments", - Giorgi Vashadze added.

• Bidzina Ivanishvili releases statement!

  Former Prime Minister of Georgia and the ruling Georgian Dream party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili Wednesday released a statement, touching on various issues.

  Below are the main takeaways:

  Ivanishvili claims amid the challenging political situation in the region, Georgia and the ruling team have been facing “very painful processes” in the past months. ” Those longing for dragging Georgia into war perplexes the ruling team’s situation even further.”

  He says “despite the greatest difficulties, the ruling team worked aptly with right and principled stance, and overcame the first stage of the war threat.” However, the ex-PM believes until the end of the war in Ukraine, certain risks remain despite the said risks being cancelled out.

  “As the war risks are subdued far as possible, the ruling team can shift its attention to “another crucial priority and ensure Georgia’s relations with its strategic partner, the United States and the European Union, are not damaged,” he stated.

  In his lengthy statement, Ivanishvili also mentioned his “personal problems” with Switzerland-based investment banking company Credit Suisse, claiming the issues are directly linked to the ongoing processes in Georgia. “However, as Georgia practically tackled the war threat, rather than expose the relationship between the Swiss bank and me too much to society, I prefer to keep it as my private matter,” he asserted.

  In his ending part, Ivanishvili echoed the claims over his meeting with the US Ambassador to Georgia, noting that at the request of the Ambassador he had held a three-hour meeting with Kelly Degnan on March 21.

  On July 21, US Ambassador said, “I have not met with Mr. Ivanishvili in quite some time. In every meeting, I’ve had with him over the past two and a half years that I have been in Georgia, I have always assured him of the United States’ full support for the people of Georgia and our willingness to work with the government of Georgia for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic future for Georgia’s democratic and economic development. In none of those meetings have I ever tried to blackmail Mr. Ivanishvili.”

  Source: https://1tv.ge/lang/en/news/bidzina-ivanishvili-releases-statement-2/