A recent Georgian court ruling to jail the prominent opposition figure, Gigi Ugulava, is disruptive for the political dialogue between the government and the opposition, EU spokesman for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano said on Wednesday
BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th February, 2020) A recent Georgian court ruling to jail the prominent opposition figure, Gigi Ugulava, is disruptive for the political dialogue between the government and the opposition, EU spokesman for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano said on Wednesday.
Ugulava, the ex-Tbilisi mayor and the secretary-general of the European Georgia political party, was sentenced by the Georgian Supreme Court on Monday to three years and two months in prison, as prosecutors found him guilty of embezzling 48 million lari ($16.5 million) during the time of his mayorship.
"The circumstances around this verdict are not conducive to advancing the political dialogue aimed at a much needed depolarisation of the political situation in Georgia. Upholding the highest standards of judicial independence, fair trial and the rule of law is an essential commitment of Georgia under the EU-Georgia Association Agreement," Stano said, as quoted by the European External Action Service's press release.
Stano added that the European Union would continue monitoring other high-profile trials in Georgia.
In addition to the EU, London and Washington also expressed disappointment over Ugulava's conviction via their respective embassies in Tbilisi.
The opposition and their supporters have been protesting in Georgia since June and calling for changes in the electoral system. When the Georgian parliament, despite promises, failed to satisfy the Primary demand of protesters to switch to a proportional electoral system in November, the opposition parties decided to unite and start fresh rallies. The Government and the opposition have been attempting to negotiate, but European Party leader David Bakradze announced on Tuesday the suspension of the dialogue amid Ugulava's sentence.
