Georgian Parliament official: European Parliament resolution aims to divide Georgian society

Levan Makhashvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on European Integration, on Thursday criticised a recent European Parliament resolution, describing it as an attempt to divide Georgian society and pit different groups against one another.

Makhashvili made the remarks while commenting on the European Parliament’s recently adopted report on Georgia prepared by MEP Rasa Juknevičienė.

“This is a direct attempt to divide society into different groups and then set them against each other. That is its sole purpose”, he said.

He added that it was troubling that such an idea had been included in an official document, claiming that efforts to create tensions between various social groups and the government had long been part of the strategy of certain political groups and European bureaucrats.

“It is alarming that someone would even have such an idea, to maximise confrontation between different groups in society and, most importantly, between society and its own government. This is not merely an idea. Today it has been incorporated into a document, but unfortunately this principle has long been the strategy and objective of these political groups”, Makhashvili concluded.

The European Parliament adopted Rasa Juknevičienė’s report on Georgia. The report was approved by 436 votes in favour and 145 against.

The report adopted by the European Parliament discusses sanctions against representatives of the Georgian authorities.

The European Parliament calls on EU member states to refrain from holding meetings with the ruling Georgian Dream party. The document further discusses sanctions against television broadcasters, including Imedi TV.

In addition, according to the resolution, the European Parliament calls on the Commission to establish a mechanism that would allow civil society activists, journalists and students to retain visa-free access to the European Union.