Release political prisoners, release journalists, allow the Georgian people to choose their own future, hold transparent and fair elections and allow the Georgian people to choose their own path – this is not for you to decide, – James MacCleary, a member of the United Kingdom’s parliament, said at the briefing held at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, addressing the Georgian Dream and its founder Bidzina Ivanishvili.
According to him, the current situation in Georgia is unacceptable, he calls on the Georgian Dream to stop the “regression towards authoritarianism”.
“I am a member of the UK Parliament. Together with my parliamentary colleagues, we have had quite a lot of discussions about the situation that Georgia has found itself in. The current situation is unacceptable, and the British government is aware of this.
As many of you probably know, the UK has recently imposed sanctions on specific individuals in Georgia for the actions that we have witnessed. The arrest of opposition leaders, the arrest of leading journalists is unacceptable and they must be released immediately. I absolutely and unequivocally condemn this.
With our influence, the UK government is taking significant measures, in particular, I mean the sanctions against those individuals who, as we know, are behind the Georgian Dream government. Including Bidzina Ivanishvili, whose sanctions I personally requested, and others as well. And I want to address him – because I know that he is listening to what we are saying in the UK government and parliament. I also know that the Georgian Dream government also hears what we are saying, because they are publishing statements saying that I have no idea what I am talking about. So I will tell them this: If you want us to stop talking about you, if you want us to stop threatening you with sanctions, if you want us to stop calling you what steps you should take, if you want us to stop condemning your authoritarian actions in Georgia – it is very simple: release political prisoners, release journalists, allow the Georgian people to choose their own future, hold transparent and fair elections and allow the Georgian people to choose their own path, whether it is the European path or something else – that is their will. This is not for you to decide. Therefore, I appeal to you – release the Georgian people, stop the regression towards authoritarianism, allow free and fair elections in Georgia and facilitate the emergence of a bright future for all of us”, – said the British MP.
James MacCleary to Georgian Dream: Release political prisoners, journalists – hold transparent and fair elections and allow the Georgian people to choose their own path – this is not for you to decide
