Parliament Adopts UNM’s Resolution Calling on Govt ‘Not to Endanger Euro-Atlantic Integration’

Georgian Parliament adopted unanimously on Friday a resolution, which, according to its sponsors, aim at showing unity of the political forces over Georgia’s EU visa liberalisation.

The resolution, which was sponsored by lawmakers from the opposition UNM party and supported by GD parliamentary majority group after some amendments, calls on the Georgian government “not to endanger Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration.”

According to its title, the resolution is addressed to the EU and its institutions. Its preamble reiterates Georgian people’s “unwavering choice” of European and Euro-Atlantic integration; notes importance of visa liberalisation in the EU-Georgia cooperation agenda and notes that visa waiver with the Schengen area will contribute to “reintegration of people living in Georgia’s occupied territories” and demonstrate to others tangible results and benefits of partnership with the EU.

Resolution’s operative part consists of four clauses three of which are addressed to the Georgian government and one – to the EU-member states’ parliaments, thanking them for ratifying Georgia’s Association Agreement with the EU.

It calls on the Georgian government “to take steps fostering Georgia’s democratic development and not to endanger Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration.”

The Parliament also calls on the government “to timely and fully implement reforms envisaged by the Association Agreement with the EU” and to carry out information campaign aimed at clarifying the rights and obligations surrounding visa-free travel rules.

The text was modified from its initial version, first tabled by the UNM in December, when the Parliament passed a statement calling on the European Union to lift visa requirements for Georgia. That statement was sponsored by the Free Democrats opposition party and was supported by the GD majority group, but UNM abstained from vote because of disagreement on wording as it did not contain a call towards the Georgian government “not to undertake any step that may undermine” Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration process.

Similar wording was in UNM’s draft resolution debated in the Parliament on April 15; GD was against of this wording citing that it was giving the text “negative” connotation in respect of the government and instead offered to changed it with a call to the government “to take steps fostering Georgia’s democratic development”; UNM agreed on the amendment and the text was adopted unanimously.

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