EU Says Takes Into Account Tbilisi Violence, Journalist’s Death

Asked if the far-right anti-LGBT pride violence of July 5 and the death of TV Pirveli cameraman on July 11 will have  consequences for EU-Georgian relations and financial assistance, EU’s foreign policy spokesperson Peter Stano said today the 27-member bloc takes “all these developments” into account, and “mentions” them in dialogue with Tbilisi.

The Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy pointed out that Georgia itself committed to “advancing European values,” a “joint basis” of cooperation with the EU. “Fundamental rights and freedom of people, regardless of whether they belong to a minority, ethnic group, language group, national group, gender or sexual minority… have to be guaranteed, protected, and upheld,” asserted Stano.

The European Union was already clear in stating that it is the role of the government to protect these rights and freedoms, noted the foreign policy spokesperson.

Touching upon TV Pirveli cameraman Aleksandre Lashkarava’s death, six days after being assaulted by far-right radicals, the Lead Spokesperson stressed it is important that circumstances of the journalist’s death “are clearly, transparently and independently investigated.”

The 27-member-bloc recently unveiled a EUR 20 billion recovery and reform plan for the Eastern Partners, of which a EUR 2.3 billion assistance is envisaged to attract some EUR 17 billion in investments to the states. Of the amount, EUR 1.175 billion is to be provided as a grant to Georgia, while some EUR 2.7 billion is estimated to be drawn in investments and loans.

Also Read:

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)