EU Says Implementation of Political Agreement in Georgia Best Way to Advance Democracy

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th July, 2021) European Council President Charles Michel said on Monday that the full implementation of the EU-brokered accord between the Georgian ruling party and the opposition is the best way to push the democratic agenda in the country.

The top EU official is attending the Georgia-hosted 17th Batumi international conference "Enduring Power of Attraction - When the EU Makes Difference."

"The implementation of the April 19 Agreement, in both the letter and spirit and in good faith, remains the best guarantee to advance Georgia's democratic agenda in the interest of the country's citizens," Michel wrote on Twitter.

The conference features the president and the prime minister of Georgia, as well as the leaders of Moldova and Ukraine. The participants are expected to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the Euro-Atlantic region and the prospects for cooperation.

Georgia was plunged into political crisis after the ruling Georgian Dream party won parliamentary elections in October 2020, in a vote the opposition claimed was unfair and fraudulent.

The opposition boycotted the new parliament and staged protests demanding new elections. Georgia's ruling party and the opposition signed an EU-mediated deal on April 19 to end months of the political turmoil.

Under the EU-brokered deal, early parliamentary elections will be called in 2022 if the ruling party gets less than 43% in upcoming local elections. It also sets the rules for power-sharing in parliament, outlines reforms of the judicial system, and suggests reforms of the country's election commission.