Related items

• Prime Minister of Georgia Meets President of the European Council

  Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia met Charles Michel, President of the European Council today.

  The Head of Government of Georgia shared information with the President of the European Council about the implementation of 12 recommendations issued by the European Union (EU). According to him, Georgia has achieved progress in every direction and the Government did its best to meet the recommendations, thereby noting that progress continues further. At the meeting with Charles Michel, Irakli Garibashvili stated that all 4 topics identified by EU officials at the recent meeting in Tbilisi that are expected to advance by the end of September, will be addressed in line with the recommendations made by the European Commission. MP Irakli Kobakhidze, Chairman of the Ruling Party held a media briefing about it today.

  The Prime Minister of Georgia highlighted that the country has leading positions on its quest to EU integration, as evidenced by the reports of the EU and that commitments assumed by the country towards reforms on its path to EU integration are solid. He also noted that Georgia deserves a status of an EU Candidate Country amidst the current geopolitical setting and in line with a merits-based approach. Irakli Garibashvili expressed his gratitude to Charles Michel for the support demonstrated in the process of EU integration of Georgia.

  Press Service of the Government Administration
• Georgian President pardons Nika Gvaramia

  Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has pardoned Mtavari TV founder Nika Gvaramia.

  “I came to this decision after all the legal steps had been exhausted and the Court rejected the cassation appeal on June 19.

  I’m not going to explain why I made this decision as it is my discretionary right.

  I just want to remind you what I also said in the European Parliament, that such a decision, the president’s discretionary right, is not subject to anyone’s pressure, advice, recommendation, or any other type of threat. This is the president’s decision”, she underscored.

  The Tbilisi City Court sentenced Gvaramia to 3 years and 6 months in prison for abuse of power over his managerial decisions when he ran Rustavi 2 TV.

   

• Irakli Garibashvili meets Charles Michel

  Within the scope of his visit to Brussels, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili met with Charles Michel, President of the European Council.

  The process of Georgia’s accession to the EU was the key topic discussed at the meeting. Irakli Garibashvili briefed the President of the European Council about Georgia’s efforts toward fulfilling the European Commission’s 12 priorities and pointed out that, in this process, the authorities maintain continuous consultations with EU institutions and member states, also the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR.

  The Prime Minister paid special attention to the importance of granting Georgia the EU membership candidate status at the end of this year.

  According to the Prime Minister, a large portion of the recommendations has been fulfilled and, based on the progress achieved, Georgia deserves the candidate status at the end of this year.

  Irakli Garibashvili emphasized that the Association Agreement, the DCFTA with the EU, visa-free travel, and the recently granted European perspective demonstrate Georgia’s progress toward European integration under the current Government.

  The parties discussed the ongoing war in Ukraine and its impact on the region’s security environment.

  Press Service of the Government Administration
• 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/

• Address by the President

  This briefing was not scheduled. Today, anyway, I wasn't going to do anything, and when I heard that the rally was going to be held here, it was my decision and my desire to join the people with whom I shared many battles (I'm not talking here about electoral battles) in those dark days when we fought together against the criminal and unfair regime of Misha Saakashvili. I came out there for these people, not for some protesters, I don't know who, to show up in the palace, that's not the right format, and I'm sure that wasn't the intention of the people who spearheaded it.

  Those people whom I respect very much because of all this and our common past, have come to the palace many times and know that my door is open, everyone has the opportunity to ask for a meeting, and I’ve shown it recently that I meet everyone, and not only those with whom these battles I have shared, and I will continue to do so.

  Now I want to go back to what I wanted to say earlier and couldn't finish what I had to say, and I want to continue to say it through you, and for that, I want to thank you once again.

  First, let me say: I know that this demonstration was not only organized by those people, but it was accompanied by various message boxes that have been circulating these days. This was deliberately done in order to put pressure on the President from those people, from the party whose leaders were nowhere in 2007 (I say 2007, because this is the period when everything happened and everything was clear.)

  These people, who today threaten me with my career or in different ways and believe that they could threaten me, were not there then, and now they ask me about my morale and teach me how to fight against Saakashvili, who is already fallen.

  I wonder where these people have been since 2007. I will tell you, one was in Misha's staff and stayed there for a long time. Another one was in "Cartu Bank", well-paid. Others were in other positions and I don't want to make it personal now, but they were nowhere so how can they ask about my morals? What can they teach me, I wonder?! The same goes for that quartet that walks around saying stuff.

  It is very clear that here, there is some kind of joint game between different forces, which are supposedly very opposed. But in reality, who ‘pardoned’ Murusidze and Chinchaladze? Was it me? If so, when? I don't know, tell me! I think that the very power that is teaching me wisdom today, not only pardoned them, but placed them in such places, from which no one can remove them, and from which they also very effectively block our way to Europe.

  Who is this for? Why don't we ask this?! Before the rally comes to me (when I say coming - I'm talking about the rally, not about the people who are coming to meet, have been coming and I hope they will come here again.)

  What is the agreement between these two powers? On the one hand, bringing Misha. Why did some of them advised, urged him to come down here, launch a revolution, claiming people would come out for him.

  On the other side, those who were playing with Georgian emotions and antagonizing him: ‘if you’re brave, come here. Don’t be lazy, come here.’

  Both were excited about Misha's arrival and we can see why. Because we have been living in this for a year already and more. A year later, we are completely stuck around Misha, in arguments, disputes, fights, there is no other topic, it is impossible to raise another topic, the country is sinking around this issue, and this suits both sides. 

  For one side, it is probably because it cannot see other plans, because it no longer has an answer to any of the questions that society should ask its government, and I don't know what I have to do with it, but it is unacceptable. Or they don't know me, maybe they don't know me, I don't know, they still haven’t learned who I was for so many years, but pressure on the institution (and not to mention a woman and the president) that is happening today is unacceptable. This bullying, (by the way, I don't know where are those NGO people who should express something about bullying), direct blackmail, threats, humiliation are unacceptable

  And here look, there’s a "Russian village" at my doorstep, and what does that mean? In no other country, in front of the president's palace, such a village, especially in this tense period, would be built, but there are different opinions and different tastes about it.

  Then they threaten me with “career”, as if I could kiss my career goodbye, as if I wanted some other career, they forget how old I am, but if anyone knows me in this country, they will also know that I left my career over there a long time ago, that I am only interested in this country, I am interested only in the European future of this country, which for some reason everyone is fighting against, no one can see that our society wants this and our society will continue to want it regardless of everything - here I am, here you are and we will go on this path, despite everyone's pressure and attempts to blackmail in different ways.