Brussels, 30/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 29 October, President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso said - in the presence of Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili - that the EU expects the law courts to be free from all political influence. Barroso has on several occasions expressed his concern about allegations of selective justice in Georgia. “The crucial issue is to check whether or not trials are conducted in absolute respect of the rule of law and without political motivation”, Barroso stated, saying that the EU will continue to monitor the situation. “Georgia is a democracy in transition. There is much polarisation (…) but it is of fundamental interest that political issues are resolved through political routes and through elections (…) and not through the judicial route”, Barroso added.
In the opinion of Saakashvili - who will be leaving office in the coming weeks (see EUROPE 10952) - there is a risk of selective justice rising in the near future. He recalled that the former prime minister and the minister for home affairs are in custody, and that 2,500 people linked to his party have been charged or are being questioned by the judicial system. “This is against democratic principles”, Saakashvili said. He stated that Georgia's Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanichvili had threatened him with court cases on several occasions, just as Russia had done.
Stating that the EU will remain vigilant for Georgia to remain a pluralist democracy, Barroso said he hoped that the recommendations of the report by EU Special Adviser to Georgia Thomas Hammarberg (see EUROPE 10928) would be implemented. He called on the new government to continue to work on the issues of concern and said he wanted the president's party to continue its work in opposition. Barroso stated that Georgia has moved much closer to the EU over the last ten years, since the beginning of Saakashvili's presidency. “It is important that we are sure that we share basically the same values in this movement of bringing Georgia closer to Europe”, he added.
Step towards integration. Saakashvili strongly supported the association agreement being initialled, believing that the signing of the agreement is “the first step” towards EU accession. He therefore hoped that Georgia would “soon be a (full) member” of the EU “whatever the definition of soon is”. Although his party will no longer be in power, either in the presidency or the government, he said - using the words of Winston Churchill - that “never, never will we abandon Europe, and in the end we will make it [as a member]. That's sure”. He said that he will continue to fight for “final European integration and a completely established democracy”.
Condemnation of Russian advances. Barroso reiterated that the EU “firmly condemns the erection of fences and barriers on Georgia's internal administrative boundaries”, and he reiterated the EU's support for Georgia's territorial integrity. (CG/transl.fl)