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work together to “advance’ Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration.
The bipartisan group of Senators – Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Jim Risch (R-ID), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Rob Portman (R-OH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and John Barrasso (R-WY) – dubbed as “disappointing” the ruling party’s decision to “unilaterally walk away” from the deal, during a “pivotal time” for Georgia’s democratic development.
They said that recent developments in the country “undermine” the efforts envisaged by the multiparty agreement, including the “critical” judicial and electoral reforms.
“It was disappointing that not all elected parties signed the agreement or implemented the agreement in good faith,” added the senators. The electoral bloc led by the largest opposition United National Movement (UNM) party, and also the Alliance of Patriots, European Georgia and Labor party, were the four elected opposition groups that refused to join the deal.
But the Foreign Relations Committee members stressed that “it is largely incumbent upon the ruling party to set aside political differences and pursue an inclusive, multiparty parliamentary process.”
They also called for free and fair local elections in October, and a “continued commitment” to strengthening the rule of law through reforms. “A failure to advance democracy in Georgia may result in conditioning aid, jeopardize Georgia’s pursuit of EU and NATO membership, and damage the U.S.-Georgia bilateral relationship. Only the Kremlin benefits from such an outcome,” the Senators highlighted.
2.3 UNM head Melia leaves parliament to run for Tbilisi mayor
The head of the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party Nika Melia, who has been nominated for Tbilisi mayor by several opposition parties, has stated that he is giving up his parliamentary mandate to prepare for the October 2 municipal elections.
Melia said that other UNM MPs were "formally staying" in the state legislature to complete procedures for constitutional changes and for the country to shift to the fully proportional electoral system.
He added that the opposition parties must not boycott the upcoming municipal elections and should fight for victory following the recent decision of the ruling Georgian Dream party to withdraw from the April 19 EU-mediated agreement.
The agreement, signed by the ruling Georgian Dream party and five of the eight opposition parties (which won seats in parliament in the 2020 parliamentary elections) back in April, resolved a six-month political crisis in the country.
The document, which proposed the holding of repeat parliamentary elections if the ruling party received less than 43% of votes in the 2021 municipal elections and large-scale reforms, was not signed by the UNM because of a note in it on amnesty, the UNM said.
8 GEORGIA Country Report August 2021 www.intellinews.com