Speaking at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Spanish MP Laura Castel urged the Georgian opposition to end their boycott and return to parliamentary work. At the same time, she stressed that it is unacceptable for politicians to be in prison instead of participating in parliamentary work and public debates.
Castel also called on all political forces to act with greater responsibility.
“Freedom of speech, free media, and the public’s right to free activity are under pressure [in Georgia]…
At the same time, some opposition forces are more concerned with blaming the government for all the problems, forgetting that their place is in the institutions where they can and should work. Boycotting parliament makes no sense and helps neither the citizens of Georgia nor society.
As representatives of the Group of the Unified European Left, we want to urge politicians on all sides to do better than they are doing now. This also includes putting pressure on the government to fulfill its obligations in accordance with the country’s Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights,” Laura Castel stated.
As a reminder, on June 24, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution on Georgia, which emphasizes that democratic backsliding in Georgia continues, as does pressure on civil society, the political opposition, and dissidents. It was noted that none of the Assembly’s recommendations requiring urgent implementation have been fulfilled.
