Tina Bokuchava, Chair of the United National Movement (UNM) party, addressed the Political Assembly of the European People’s Party (EPP).
In her remarks, the UNM Chair urged the Assembly to support a resolution on the non-recognition of the Georgian Dream’s parliamentary delegations, including those in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
Bokuchava noted that the situation in Georgia has worsened since the last meeting in Strasbourg.
“The illegitimate government of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and honorary chair of Georgian Dream, has suppressed the free will of the Georgian people in the October 26 parliamentary elections. It employs repression and violence against journalists and political opponents. Just before my departure, three young members of the UNM were detained.
I urge you to support the president-initiated special resolution that calls on all EPP members not to recognize Georgian Dream’s self-proclaimed regime and to demand new elections that will enable the Georgian people to vote freely, without intimidation. We must also continue to impose personal sanctions. Several EU member states have already done so, but we are advocating for the imposition of personal sanctions at the EU level to compel Ivanishvili’s government to relinquish power and hold new elections.
Additionally, we call for redirecting financial aid to support free media, civil society, and citizens; demanding the regime release all unlawfully detained political prisoners, including Georgia’s jailed third president, Mikheil Saakashvili. Finally, I urge you not to recognize Georgian Dream’s parliamentary delegations in any parliamentary forum, including the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE),” she concluded.