TBILISI, July 4 – Europe’s liberal party alliance ALDE has adopted a sharply critical resolution on Georgia, calling for targeted sanctions against people it says are responsible for human rights violations, democratic backsliding and political repression.
The resolution was adopted Saturday at the ALDE congress in Vienna, according to Interpressnews, which cited information from Georgian opposition parties attending the event.
The document is titled “Supporting the Georgian people’s fight for democracy against authoritarian capture and Russian alignment.” It says Georgia’s ruling party has turned the country into what it describes as Russia’s last stronghold and satellite in Eastern Europe.
ALDE calls on EU leaders and European states to take decisive action and form a clear, uncompromising policy toward what it calls the “Ivanishvili regime,” referring to Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party.
The resolution urges immediate targeted personal sanctions against individuals responsible for serious human rights violations, democratic backsliding and political repression. It also calls for strict financial sanctions against people supporting the government and against networks that fund and back it.
At the same time, ALDE recommends drawing a clear line between the Georgian government and Georgian citizens. The resolution opposes any general suspension of visa-free travel for Georgian citizens and says pressure should instead be focused on targeted sanctions against those responsible for repression.
This point was emphasized by Georgian opposition politicians in Vienna. Giorgi Vashadze, leader of the political party Strategy Aghmashenebeli, said it was important that Georgian citizens not be punished for the actions of Georgian Dream. Grigol Gegelia of the party Lelo said ALDE understood that the Georgian people were defending freedom, democracy and a European future.
The resolution also calls on Georgian authorities to provide jailed opposition politician Elene Khoshtaria with adequate, systematic and result-oriented medical treatment, and to release all political prisoners.
Khoshtaria, leader of the Droa party, was represented symbolically at the congress by an empty chair with a Georgian flag. An audio address from her was also played at the ALDE event.
In the message, Khoshtaria said Russia wants Europe and the Georgian people to fail in Georgia. She described Georgia not only as a democratic crisis, but as a chance for Europe to show that free societies can defeat violent and aggressive forces.
Zurab Japaridze, leader of the political party Girchi, also spoke at the congress. He accused the Georgian authorities of attacking civil society, independent media, protesters and opposition parties. He said political leaders had been jailed and that those outside prison now face new charges.
The ALDE resolution also condemns what it calls Russia’s “ongoing annexation” of Georgia’s sovereign territories and attempts to absorb breakaway South Ossetia.
