“It is not true that sanctions are useless. We must urge member states to impose sanctions as soon as possible, particularly against those responsible for the ongoing repression in Georgia,” MEP Rasa Juknevičienė stated at an extraordinary meeting of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights.

Juknevičienė stressed that the solution to the crisis lies in new, free and fair elections, targeted sanctions, and strong support for civil society.

“I welcome those brave people, who represent hundreds of thousands of people who are still fighting in the streets closed to 200 days, during cold winter they were in the streets fighting for the European future of Georgia, waving European flags. Sometimes I feel that these people are more pro-European than many Europeans in the European Union. Maybe, we use our daily democracy and do not care how important it is for the people in Georgia. You are amazing, you are my heroes and heroes of very many Europeans in many European countries. Your visit is very timely. Tomorrow we will vote on the report and I hope that it will be adopted because all political groups are in favour. The only thing is that we have to amend and amend this report every single week because of new evidence, and new brutal steps taken by the regime.

All those people we have been meeting, be it pro-European Georgians or EU ambassadors, who represent our countries in Georgia was that in Georgia situation is getting worse every single day, and several times Lukashenko regime was mentioned during our meetings, because the situation is more and more close to what we finally got in Belarus, moving step by step in the same direction. All of them are saying that sanctions are needed for the regime. Sanctions work, it is not true that sanctions are useless, not at all. This is very important. Even in the last resolution adopted by the European Parliament, names were mentioned, and it was really important for many people to know that. I think we should urge the member states to impose sanctions as soon as possible, especially against those who are responsible for the repression and everything that we see in this country.

Independent media – we have received messages in recent days that the last two strong, independent, still operating media channels are about to be closed in the nearest days. So that will be really the end of free speech.

Mzia Amaglobeli – we wanted to visit her in prison, we asked for permission, but we were not allowed. This brave journalist has become a symbol of those imprisoned in Georgia today. We send her our solidarity.

The people and civil society are without any resources, and at a time when USAID has withdrawn, this is a huge damage for this country. As for the future steps, there will be a report tomorrow. I think we will be able to unite to have an urgent resolution on Mzia Amaglobeli for the next plenary session if other groups agree. I think it is time to do this. The only way out of the crisis is new, fair and free elections. I do not see any other solution. Those ‘Stick and Carrot’ that the European Commission are asking for current regime does not work and will not work at all. Only new, fair elections, sanctions, support for civil society,” MEP Juknevičienė said.

During the session, Members of the European Parliament discussed the Subcommittee on Human Rights’ mission to Georgia, which occurred from March 26 to 28. The session also featured speeches from Lasha Bughadze, Beka Korshia, and Keti Kerashvili.