Nika Gvaramia: Postponing sanctions until January was a grave error by the EU; were I the EU Ambassador, I would tackle this rather than dance in Dmanisi

“Were I in the EU Ambassador’s place, I would not be dancing in Dmanisi; I would be addressing this issue. Pushing back their sanctions until January was a grave mistake,” Nika Gvaramia, one of the leaders of the Ahali party, stated on TV Pirveli.

According to Gvaramia, Georgian Dream perceives any concession as weakness. Consequently, it was a mistake for the EU to delay imposing sanctions and taking decisive action against the ruling party until January. Gvaramia asserted that were he the EU Ambassador Paweł Herczyński, he would have dealt with this matter rather than dancing at an event celebrating Europe Day.

“They mistake any concession for weakness. What the EU has done now was a grave error. If I were in the Ambassador’s shoes, I wouldn’t be dancing in Dmanisi; I would be tackling this issue. I say this directly from this broadcast. Postponing their sanctions and very stern decisions against them until January was a massive blunder,” Nika Gvaramia declared.

When asked whether this meant visa liberalisation should have been suspended, Gvaramia stated that he had said nothing about revoking it, but that there were a million other things that could be done.

“I said nothing about revoking visa liberalisation. There are a million things to do. They postponed it, didn’t they? And what happened? The very next day, the Venice Commission issued a scathing opinion. Incidentally, the opinion on the legislation and proceedings to ban political parties was far more severe than the one concerning the grants law—though it makes little difference, as both were unusually harsh for this body. And what followed? The EU’s deferral, the Venice Commission’s decision, and on the third day they scheduled three consecutive days for the party ban proceedings; the exact thing those two prior decisions urged them above all not to do, warning that if they proceeded, we would not speak to you at all. They will do the same thing; they will not repeal any grants law,” Gvaramia declared.