The continuation of the work of the Georgian delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is meaningless. This was announced on the air of local television by the prime minister of the country Irakli Kobahidze.
He called the Georgian decision to stop working in PACA “important and absolutely non -alternative.”
“Naturally, in such a situation, our delegation does not intend to continue its work in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and the delegation ceases its work. If the attitude towards the Georgian people and our country will change, then in this case, of course, we will return to the parliamentary assembly Council of Europe in the situation that we see today, it makes no sense to work there, ”the prime minister said.
The parliamentary delegation from Georgia stops working in PACA after a resolution was previously adopted, calling for the authorities of the republic to hold new parliamentary elections.
This was stated by the head of the Georgian delegation, the vice speaker of the Georgian Parliament Teya Tsulukiani.
According to her, the opponents of the Georgian authorities wanted the powers of the Georgian delegation to be not recognized in PACE at all, but the body recognize authority, but with certain conditions, one of which is the holding of new parliamentary elections.
“taking into account the entire above, we, members of the delegation of the Georgian parliament, in Strasbourg and Tbilisi, discussed by the general decision of the Georgian Dream team, despite the fact that our powers have been approved, we stop working at the parliamentary assembly from today,” – stated in the statement of Tsulukiani.
“Georgia will resume work in the parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe after” blackmail ceases with respect to the country and its people, “the vice speaker emphasized.
The parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted to recognize the powers of the Georgian delegation with a reservation on the suspension if the authorities of Georgia do not fulfill the conditions.
The question of the removal of the Georgian delegation was raised by the largest political group PACE “European People’s Party”.
“Assembly will be able to revise the powers of the Georgian delegation, including the suspension of the aforementioned rights, at its partial session in April 2025 in the light of progress achieved in relation to the issues mentioned in the document,” the resolution says.
In particular, Georgia should immediately initiate an inclusive process with the participation of all interested parties and public figures, including the ruling majority, opposition and civil society, to urgently eliminate the shortcomings and omissions noted during the recent parliamentary elections, to maintain the right of voting. and the creation of an electoral environment, conducive to the truly democratic new elections that should be declared over the next months, – European deputies say.
In order to maintain powers in PACA, Georgia should also release all political prisoners before the April part of the Assembly of 2025, the resolution of the parliamentary assembly said.