On Thursday, 29 July, President of the European Council Charles Michel called on the Georgian Dream, the party in power in Georgia, to return to the agreement that had been reached after difficult negotiations with the opposition parties on 19 April (see EUROPE 12701/3).
The party had announced the previous day that it was withdrawing from the agreement because, in its view, the agreement had “fulfilled its mission and exhausted itself”.
Explaining that he had taken note of the Georgian Dream’s decision and the United National Movement’s failure to sign the agreement, Mr Michel said he was “convinced” that this agreement was the best way to advance a reform agenda that would strengthen Georgia’s democratic institutions and contribute to prosperity, employment, and growth in the country.
“This agreement continues to offer a European way towards building a stronger democracy and rule of law in Georgia in the interest of the Georgian people”, he added.
For the president of the European Council, there is “no alternative” to pursuing in-depth electoral and judicial reforms as well as free and fair local elections.
He called on all parties to put the interests of citizens first and to commit to advancing the political discourse within the framework of the country’s democratic institutions.
Mr Michel announced that he has begun consultations with a number of political actors in Georgia, including a meeting with Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili the day before. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)