PM Garibashvili: MEP is not my chief, Georgian people are

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has stated that MEPs who have criticized the Georgian government ‘for not fulfilling preconditions’ to receive the second portion of the EU’s 150 million euro loan, ‘are not well aware of the situation in Georgia and are making superficial statements.’  

 

Garibashvili also stated earlier today that the ‘Georgian people and not MEPs are my chief.’  

 

The Georgian government has refused to take the remaining 75 million euro loan from the EU, citing the ‘growing economy’ and the wish not to add a foreign debt as the reason.

 

MEP Viola Von Cramon has responded that Georgia would not have received the loan anyway because the country’s government has failed to meet the criteria related to the court system. 

 

The EU also said that Georgia may not have been eligible for the loan because of problems in the country’s judiciary. Garibashvili stated that the Georgian court system ‘is far ahead’ to those in many EU-member states and that the country is committed to proceed with ‘fundamental judiciary reforms.’  

 

He stated that the country’s court system was in a ‘very poor condition’ when the Georgian Dream came to power in 2012 and since then ‘genuine improvements’ have been ensured.  

 

Garibashvili said that despite the ruling party’s backing out of the April 2021 EU-mediated agreement, it will remain committed to the stipulations of the deal on reforms.  

 

He also said that the country’s foreign, western course became irreversible under the Georgian Dream government.