President Zurabishvili Meets with Civil Society Representatives
On October 23, the President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili held a meeting behind closed doors at the Orbeliani Palace with representatives of civil society organizations. As the CSO representatives noted after the three-hour meeting, the main point of discussion was the steps that need to be taken to achieve EU candidate status in the coming months.
This is the first meeting that President Zurabishvili has held after the failed attempt by the ruling Georgian Dream party to impeach her on October 18. The impeachment process began on September 12, when 80 deputies filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court, and on October 16, the Georgian Constitutional Court ruled that President Salome Zurabishvili had violated the Constitution by making a working visit to Europe without the Government’s approval.
Speaking to the journalists after the meeting, the representatives of the civil society did not directly answer the question whether the President plans to continue her foreign visits.
Eka Gigauri, Executive Director of Transparency International – Georgia: “You know that we [CSOs] often have to make different visits, including to different European capitals… [and] she [the President] noted that in general it is very important that we use this opportunity and during each visit have meetings with the specific people who could be involved in the decision on the [EU candidate] status… I don’t know if she will physically go or not, I really don’t know, but the fact is that she will use all her connections, and she really has more connections than the ruling party and more serious influence on European leaders than the ruling party, and of course she will use all this, she will not back down”.
Nino Lomjaria, the former Public Defender and the founder of the public platform “European Orbit of Georgia”: “It is possible that we will work together in certain directions, [and] it is possible that we will work separately in certain directions, but with some kind of coordination. The decisive moment will come in two months at the latest, we will get an answer about the [EU candidate] status. We have talked about this, of course, but today it was more about whether we see the near future and our role in that time period in the same way. She did not inform us about her concrete plans, but as far as I know they will be made public in the near future.”
Tina Khidasheli, Chairperson of the NGO “Civil Idea”: “”Of course, if necessary, Salome Zurabishvili is ready to continue relations with the leaders of all European states, not only European, but all states friendly to Georgia. But time is running out before November 8, when the [European] Commission’s report will be published, and now, of course, the main thing is to somehow systematize and coordinate the messages coming from Tbilisi, at least from those who are clearly in favor of European integration.”
Also Read:
- 12/09/2023 – President Zurabishvili Meets with EU Ambassadors
- 13/09/2023 – Update: President Consults Opposition Parties on EU Integration Process
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
