Vice-Speaker of the Parliament Sergi Kapanadze addresses the “Georgian Dream” party to explain why none of its members supported the resolution on “Magnitski List” at the meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

As Kapanadze stated at a news conference on Wednesday, the government is obliged to explain to the public whether it was another “obsequious step” towards the Russian Federation or any other behavior.

“A serious discussion was underway related to Magnitsi List within the format of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted the resolution on “Magnitski List”, which includes “Otkhozoria-Tatunashvili” list. This resolution calls on European countries to impose so-called “smart sanctions” against those countries and people, whop roughly violate human rights, including in the occupied territories of Georgia.

I would like to remind the public that last year, “Otkhozoria-Tatunashvili” list was adopted upon the initiative of the “European Georgia” party. At the time, the government has resisted this, but then the Parliament adopted a resolution. Initially, it was opposed by the government, but later, it adopted the resolution. It is to be welcomed that this list was supported not just by Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, but also by the European Parliament, the Parliaments of Ireland and Lithuania, the US Congress. At the same time, serious questions arise around the “Georgian Dream”,” Kapanadze said.

According to him, yesterday, none of the “Georgian Dream” members supported the resolution that calls on Russia to protect human rights. “They did not participle even in the debates and did not express their opinion about this important topic. The only two lawmakers from Georgia, who supported the resolution, were the members of the “European Georgia” party- Davit Bakradze and Giorgi Kandelaki,” MP said.