Members of the European Parliament Tineke Strik, Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, Petras Austrevicius, and Miriam Lexmann, following the adoption of the Russian Law by the Georgian Parliament Legal Affairs Committee in the third reading, call on the Vice President of the European Commission and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, to start preparing targeted sanctions against those who are leading the country away from its European future.
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In the letter sent to Josep Borrell, it is stated that in light of the events that took place in Georgia this morning, the possible swift adoption of the law "On Transparency of Foreign Influence," and the need to support the free, pro-European people of Georgia, the MEPs have the following urgent questions:
- Will the HR/VP, ahead of the 27 May Foreign Affairs Council, propose immediate imposition of targeted restrictive measures against Mr Ivanishvili, Mr Kobakhidze, and Mr Papuashvili, as well as imposition of such measures against all Members of the Parliament of Georgia who vote in favour of the law on transparency of foreign influence (hereinafter: 'the law') and the repeal of any potential veto thereof issued by the President of Georgia, to go into effect immediately following the final binding vote?
- Will the HR/VP and the Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement instruct the EEAS and DG NEAR, respectively, to suspend any high-level engagement with the government of Georgia the objective of which is not to repeal the law, including by reallocating financial support to strengthening Georgia's civil society, and to refrain from opening EU accession negotiations for as long as the law is in force?
- Does the HR/VP commit to summoning, upon adoption of the law, the Ambassador of Georgia to the EU in order to express the EU's condemnation and convey his intention to take the above measures and will recalling the EU ambassador for consultations be considered?
Today, on May 13, the Georgian Parliament Legal Affairs Committee considered and supported the re-initiated Russian Law on so-called Foreign Agents proposed by Georgian Dream in the third reading. The opposition was unable to attend the session, which lasted only one minute.
Citizens spent the night before the committee meeting at the Parliament. In the early morning, the authorities dispersed the peaceful demonstration and cleared the entrances to the parliament so that the Georgian Dream MPs could enter the legislative body. The Internal Affairs Ministry arrested 20 people at the rally, some of whom were brutally beaten by the special forces.
The ruling party intends to adopt the Russian Law in the third and final reading at the May 14 plenary session.
