Brussels, 11/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 9 July, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle called on “all actors in Georgian politics to respect their state's institutions and to refrain from instrumentalising them for partisan purposes”. On a visit to Tbilisi, he stressed “the importance the EU attaches to constructive cohabitation” with mutual respect and setting aside partisan differences in the interest of the country's future, which is “the only way to build a prosperous, pluralistic society”. He welcomed the constructive approach adopted by the Georgian parliament in which cooperation has been “good across partisan divides”. In Füle's view, in order to make Georgia's transition a real success, further strengthening of its democratic institutions and deeper efforts to prevent polarisation are needed.
Stating that the EU “fully respects the pledge of the new government (…) to address any legacies of the past”, and hoping that his will be done in full conformity with Georgia's international obligations and European values, Füle reiterated that ensuring justice is “fair and free of any political interference” is “of paramount importance”, without allowing impunity either.
Speeding up the pace of cooperation. Füle also stated that “the pace of the engagement between the European Union and Georgia is accelerating”. “We have a lot of valuable deliverables in the pipeline, and these will contribute to making the Eastern Partnership Vilnius summit in November a success.” An association agreement between Georgia and the EU could be initialled at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius in November. It is important to base this engagement on shared values, including absolute respect for democratic principles and the rule of law, Füle stressed. (CG/transl.fl)