On December 11, four Georgian opposition parties that crossed the 5% threshold in the October 26 parliamentary elections sent a joint letter to Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, as well as the EU foreign ministers. The letter, written ahead of the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting, letter calls for immediate EU intervention to address escalating political violence in Georgia, citing widespread brutality against peaceful protesters, journalists, and opposition figures.
The letter posits three key requests to the EU officials:
- “Demand the immediate and unconditional release of all detained politicians, activists
and peaceful demonstrators;” - Impose targeted sanctions against Georgian Dream (GD) officials, including Bidzina Ivanishvili, the party’s honorary chair, and suspend visa-free travel privileges for officials linked to the government.
- The EU leaders to condemn strongly Strong public condemnations from EU leaders regarding violent crackdowns on peaceful protesters and journalists.
“The people of Georgia are courageously resisting Russian-backed authoritarianism, fighting for their democratic, European future,” the opposition leaders wrote. “Your clear and resolute voice, coupled with decisive actions, will play a pivotal role in de-escalating the alarming situation in Georgia and restoring the country’s constitutional framework.”
The leaders emphasized that their demands, shared by civil society organizations and protesters, are the rerun of elections under an improved electoral framework featuring “a politically balanced electoral administration and neutral state institutions.” They further asserted that suspending all contact with the current regime by EU leaders “until they agree to hold new, free, and fair elections” is the most effective course of action.
The crisis in Georgia has deepened since November 28, when Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that the country’s EU accession would be delayed until at least 2028. This sparked large-scale protests, which opposition leaders argue were met with excessive force by Georgian authorities, including the use of tear gas, water cannons, and physical violence against demonstrators, opposition leaders, and journalists, with reports of torture and inhumane treatment. Georgian Public Defender Levan Ioseliani described the brutality as “an understatement.”
The opposition also criticized the presidential election on December 14, which they noted is marred by the candidacy of Mikheil Kavelashvili, a former football player with no higher education and the initiator of Georgia’s controversial “foreign agents law.” The letter says that Kavelashvili’s candidacy lacks both independence and legitimacy.
International partners, including Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, and the United States, have already responded to the escalating violence in Georgia. The opposition hopes the EU will follow suit with decisive measures, highlighting the importance of Georgia’s democratic and European future.
Also Read:
- 14/12/2024 – Kobakhidze: “We Have National Mission to End Liberal Fascism, Opposition Parties”
- 14/12/2024 –Mikheil Kavelashvili Elected as President by College of GD MPs and Local Councilors
- 13/12/2024 – IPI Condemns Violent Attacks on Journalists in Georgia
- 13/12/2024 – OSCE Troika Condemns Violent Crackdown on Protests in Georgia, Calls for Accountability