"Who would have thought that Georgia—once a beacon of democracy not only in the region but also among Eastern Partnership countries—would turn into a Lukashenko-style autocracy?" said European Parliament member Rasa Juknevičienė during a discussion on Georgia in the European Parliament.
According to the MEP, they see the Georgian people’s struggle and recognize their clear desire to continue moving toward EU membership.
"It is very unfortunate, but perhaps a fitting coincidence, that we are discussing the situation in Georgia on the same evening as Belarus. Who would have thought that Georgia—once a beacon of democracy not only in the region but also among Eastern Partnership countries—would turn into a Lukashenko-style autocracy? That today we would be talking not only about Belarusians and Lukashenko’s prisoners but also about Georgia and Bidzina Ivanishvili’s prisoners?
Attacks by representatives of Ivanishvili’s regime against members of the European Parliament and EU ambassadors have only strengthened our collective position. We understand that these statements do not reflect the views of the Georgian people. We see their struggle and recognize their clear desire to continue moving toward EU membership," Juknevičienė stated.
Juknevičienė noted that "due to the imprisonment of key opposition leaders, the [2025 local] elections cannot be considered free and fair" and proposed that MEPs support an amendment to the resolution addressing this, as well as an amendment regarding Mzia Amaghlobeli.
"The full responsibility for the possible cancellation of Georgia’s visa-free regime lies with Ivanishvili and his party. Visa-free travel is granted to democratic countries, not to regimes that imprison citizens for political reasons," Juknevičienė stated.
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