EU Mediator Commends ‘Vibrant’ Civil Society, Admonishes Political Leaders

“As I return to Brussels, I will take back with me this confidence that with such a vibrant civil society, Georgia will one day manage to turn the page and logics towards an ambitious future,” said EU mediator Christian Danielsson in the early minutes of march 31, after an unsuccessful eight-hour-long mediation between the ruling Georgian Dream and the opposition parties resulted in no compromise. 

While welcoming all efforts in the mediation process, Danielsson, the European Council President Charles Michel’s Personal Envoy to mediate Georgia crisis, singled out that “NGOs made some very useful proposals and the media kept a high level of scrutiny throughout the process, holding the political leaders accountable.”

Danielsson’s remarks about the CSOs came as he admonished Georgia’s government and opposition leaders for unwillingness to compromise. “Fulfilling European aspirations requires compromise, especially by the party in power, to bring the country out the crisis,” the EU mediator highlighted.

“Georgia’s Western partners are not here to impose a solution on the parties,” Danielsson went on, underscoring that the role of the European Union in the political crisis is limited to mediation.

Danielsson said he proposed the parties a solution that involved “meaningful electoral and judicial reforms,” “sharing of responsibilities in parliament,” and ending “protracted debates on key politicized judicial cases and early elections.” Though, he expressed regret that “there was not that willingness today around the table to reach such compromise.”

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