The US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan said that signing of the April 19 compromise agreement by the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party would be an important step. According to the US Ambassador, the UNM should sign the agreement and begin work in parliament together with other parties on the important reforms that will make Georgia’s democracy stronger.

“That would be a very important step on the part of the largest opposition party. It was important that they entered the parliament, it’s important that they are part of the reforms that are envisioned in the April 19th Agreement and that they show that they are putting Georgia’s interests first.

Next week, again, in final days of this parliamentary session there are some very important initiatives that need to be taken in order to fulfill the obligations under the April 19th Agreement, including initiating the constitutional amendments that are envisioned in the Agreement. These are vital to making meaningful reforms in the electoral system as well as the judicial system. If these constitutional amendments are not initiated next week, again, it will be another indication that there is a lack of political will to fulfill the obligations that the ruling party and other parties agreed to by signing that April 19th Agreement.

This is an agreement that the political leaders of this country negotiated and agreed to—this is not something imposed on them—this is what they agreed to, including important constitutional amendments that need to be initiated before the local elections in October.  So, again, I think it would be very important for UNM to sign this agreement and begin work in parliament with the other parties on these important reforms that will make Georgia’s democracies stronger,” Kelly Degnan stated.