On Thursday 22 June, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, welcomed Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili’s decision to pardon Nika Gvaramia, the Director General of the main opposition television channel.
According to Mr Michel, this is an essential step towards the “depolarisation” of political life in Georgia (see EUROPE 13056/11).
He also welcomed Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s reconfirmation that Georgia would not seek to adopt the law on foreign influence. “The Georgian parliament’s decision to not pass the deoligarchisation law in the third reading is a positive step. A focus on systemic approach is needed as per the Venice Commission’s recommendations”, according to a press release from Mr Michel’s office.
Last year’s decision by the European Council to recognise Georgia’s European perspective has created a positive momentum for reform, enabling the country to move forward on its European trajectory. Georgia’s future is in the EU, the press release said. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)