MEPs Address Georgian Speaker over ‘Unethical Incident’ Involving MP Tsulukiani

Six leading MEPs on EU-Georgia relations addressed today Georgian Speaker Archil Talakvadze with concerns over “careless breach of privacy” during the Georgian Parliament session, as well as “unflattering attitude towards the EU Ambassador to Georgia” who later condemned the incident.

The European lawmakers criticized the disclosure of pro-opposition Mtavari Arkhi TV Director Nika Gvaramia’s phone number by senior Georgian Dream MP Tea Tsulukiani, former Justice Minister, during February 2 Plenary Session.

“It is regrettable, very unpleasant, and unethical when the fundamental right of privacy is carelessly breached,” the MEPs asserted, backing the EU Ambassador Carl Hartzell’s February 3 assessment who dubbed MP Tsulukiani’s move was “unethical.”

The MEPs then criticized MP Tsulukiani’s Facebook comment, in which she expressed a wish to meeting with Ambassador Hartzell over his remarks, noting that “a request of justification” by the Georgian lawmaker was “simply in bad taste.”

The European lawmakers highlighted that Ambassador Hartzell does “not merely express ‘his personal opinion’ but voices those fundamental EU values that your country [Georgia] also claims to aspire to.”

Moreover, the six MEPs reminded Speaker Talakvadze that the EU Ambassador “has spared no efforts in making sure that Georgia has a functioning, pluralistic and democratic Parliament.”

“It is your mandate as a Chairperson of the Parliament to ensure a high level of decorum in the plenary hall,” the signatories addressed Speaker Talakvadze.

“When your colleagues from the newly elected Georgian parliament visited Brussels around a week ago, they presented a very ambitious goal of applying for EU membership in 2024. We kindly reminded your colleagues that ambitious political goals require equally ambitious democratic standards,” the MEPs highlighted.

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