Part of the parliamentary opposition parties and independent MPs publish a joint statement

Part of the parliamentary opposition parties and independent deputies, working on 12 recommendations for obtaining candidate status, make a joint statement.

The statement was signed by Strategy Agmashenebeli, National Movement, Lelo, Republican Party, Tamar Charkviani, Armaz Akhvlediani, Shalva Shavgulidze, Tamar Kordzaya and Nato Chkheidze.

As noted in the statement, they have developed a basic package of general legislative initiatives and changes.

“We consider it fundamental to return to the agreement of April 19 (Charles Michel document) towards depolarization, including the adoption of constitutional amendments in the second and third readings, the completion of politicized justice. It is also fundamental to change the electoral code in accordance with the framework defined by the political agreement of April 19,” the statement says.

According to the authors of the statement, it is important to adopt and implement a new strategy for judicial reform.

“In the direction of fighting corruption, the creation of the National Anti-Corruption Agency was initiated. And in the media direction – an effective investigation of the case on July 5-6, the termination of the current investigative and judicial proceedings against the media, the introduction of an alternative proposal on the Law on Broadcasting,” the statement says.

The signatories of the statement hope that Georgian Dream and Bidzina Ivanishvili will share these proposals if they really want to become an EU candidate country.

“Otherwise, all responsibility for not receiving the status will fall on Georgian Dream and Bidzina Ivanishvili. With this move, the Georgian people, civil society, democratic opposition, and Western partners remain on one side, while Georgian Dream and Bidzina Ivanishvili remain on the other. We believe that obtaining EU status and the subsequent accession of Georgia to the European Union is a task of national importance for the freedom, security and well-being of Georgia,” the statement says.