Parliamentary opposition parties and independent MPs working on the 12 EU recommendations issue a joint statement
Published:
GAIN YOUR FREEDOM TOGETHER WITH US!
Parliamentary opposition parties and independent MPs working on the 12 recommendations for EU candidate status have issued a joint statement proposing to the government not all the projects they have developed in the working format, but basic approaches compatible with the vision of the non-governmental sector and realistic for implementation in the remaining short term.
"In order to grant Georgia the status of a candidate for implementing the recommendations determined by the European Union, the parliamentary opposition, with the active participation and cooperation of non-governmental organizations, has developed a basic package of common legislative initiatives and changes.
In order to change the complicated political and economic situation created in the country and to carry out fundamental reforms, more profound changes are needed, which have also been prepared in the working format we created to implement the 12-point recommendations. However, in order to implement the 12-point recommendations, we do not propose to the authorities all the projects that we have developed in our working format, but those basic approaches that are compatible with the vision of the non-governmental sector and realistic for implementation in the remaining short term.
We consider as fundamental the return and implementation of the agreement of April 19 (the Charles Michel document) in the direction of depolarization, including the adoption of constitutional amendments in the second and third readings, the rejection of politicized justice. Also fundamental is the modification of the electoral code in accordance with the framework defined by the political agreement of April 19.
At the direction of the court at this stage, it is important to adopt and implement a new strategy and action plan for judicial reform, to select members of the High Council of Justice with the appropriate qualifications and reputation, to begin the reform of the High Council of Justice. Council of Justice, repeal the harmful decrees adopted by the Parliament at the end of last year, and publish judicial decisions.
In the direction of fighting corruption, the creation of a National Anti-Corruption Agency has been initiated. And in the direction of media - to investigate effectively the case of July 5-6, to stop ongoing investigative and judicial proceedings in relation to the media, to make an alternative proposal to the Law "On Broadcasting".
Therefore, if the Georgian Dream and Bidzina Ivanishvili really want to get the status of the country-candidate to the European Union, it is logical that they should share the minimalist and compromise version of the changes we have presented and not threaten the countries possible candidate status. Otherwise, the Georgian Dream and Bidzina Ivanishvili will be fully responsible for not obtaining the status. With this step, Georgian people, civil society, democratic opposition and Western partners remain on one side, while the Georgian Dream and Bidzina Ivanishvili are on the other.
We believe that obtaining European Union status and Georgia's subsequent accession to the European Union is a task of national importance for the freedom, security and well-being of Georgia," the statement reads.
