Ruling Party MPs Hail New Agreement

Lawmakers from the ruling National Movement Party said that the new agreement signed by the Russian and French presidents on September 8 was an important step forward and a significant achievement for both Georgia and the EU.

MP Vakhtang Balavadze said in Parliament: “Georgia has emerged victorious from this situation.”

MP Giorgi Gabashvili said that although no one thought that “everything has been resolved” by this agreement, “this is definitely a step in the right direction.”

“There are withdrawal deadlines and another step forward is the agreement on the deployment of EU observers – something which the Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier on September 8 that Moscow was against,” MP Gabashvili said.

He then said that solidarity within Georgia was very important. “It is important to refrain from senseless populism and petty arguments,” MP Gabashvili added.

MP Pavle Kublashvili said no one should underestimate the importance of the EU’s role and its mediation. The agreement, he said, was “definitely a step forward.” He said that everyone should refrain from any remarks that may undervalue the EU’s role, so as not to cause public scepticism towards the bloc.

A lawmaker from the parliamentary minority, Gia Tsagareishvili, asked at the session where one could obtain the actual text of the agreement signed in Moscow. “I think MPs will be able to become acquainted with the text,” Vice-Speaker of Parliament Mikheil Machavariani responded.

The only text of the agreement was read out at a news conference on September 8 by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, after talks with his French counterpart. The text of the agreement in French was also posted on the website of the EU French Presidency.

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