Independent female journalist Mzia Amaglobeli has been on a hunger strike in prison for 16 days, who was spat in her face humiliated by the police; the third President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, who paved the way for Georgia to Europe, has been held captive for four years on political charges - I urge you not to recognize the authority of the Georgian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, - Tina Bokuchava, the chairwoman of the Unity National Movement, said in her speech at the meeting of the European People’s Party.

As Bokuchava noted, “Georgia is at a crossroads today and will either sink into Russian authoritarianism or prepare for a European future.”

“Of course, our fate is in our hands, however, you can also play an important role in determining this fate. As a result of democratic regression in Georgia and its rapprochement with the Russian orbit, this assembly has remained the only instrument of influence. By recognizing the illegitimate parliamentary delegation of the Georgian Dream, this last tool against the authoritarian regime that stole the elections, undermined the will of the Georgian people, stopped Georgia’s integration into the European Union, and is resorting to state-sponsored terror against its own people through brutal crackdowns, mass arrests, beatings, and torture, will be lost; this authoritarian regime has been holding the third President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, who paved the way for Georgia’s path to Europe, in captivity for four years on political charges.

Recognition of the Georgian delegation’s credentials means: ignoring the resolution adopted by the European People’s Party in Brussels, which calls on its members not to recognize the delegation’s mandate; granting a pass to Russian oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, who is already sanctioned by the US for serving Russian interests; legitimizing the stolen elections and a regime that the international community refuses to recognize as the legitimate representative of the Georgian people; legitimizing and inciting violence; the loss of minimal credibility for this assembly in the eyes of the Georgian people.

While the Georgian people have been protesting in the streets for 60 days, being poisoned with gas laced with illegal substances, our youth being arrested, activists being beaten and tortured, while independent female journalist Mzia Amaglobeli has been on a hunger strike in prison for 16 days, being spat on and humiliated by the police, while not a single violent police officer has been punished, now is the time for decisive action to protect the freedom-loving European Georgian people and our common values. I urge you not to recognize the authority of the Georgian delegation,” said Tina Bokuchava, whose speech was disseminated by the Unity National Movement.