The power of the president must be free from any pressure from inside or outside the country, and I also want to appeal to certain governmental circles that there is no need to try to threaten me, because I will do what I consider necessary, said the President of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, during her speech in the European Parliament spoke.
"Georgians are vigilant so that no government deviates from the path of European integration. All mass demonstrations supported freedom, democracy and the European way. Over the past few years, the people of Georgia have taken to the streets to defend these ideals when they have weakened. In June 2019, when a representative of the Russian Duma was allowed to sit in the Parliament of Georgia and violated our law on occupation, there were questions about the pro-European orientation of the people who invited him. In February 2022, when there was a demonstration of full solidarity towards Ukraine and our common European aspirations, in June 2022, before the European Council would make a decision regarding the candidate status, and in March 2023, when the population of Georgia actually forced the government to withdraw the so-called Russian law, which was perceived as a threat to civil society, to the non-governmental sector, and thus to our European aspirations," the President noted.
She also spoke about the April 19 agreement and emphasized that in case of full implementation of the said agreement, Georgia would have already received the status of a candidate for EU membership.
"As the President of Georgia, I am taking all steps and initiatives within my constitutional authority to support these goals. I am trying to depolarize by putting forward the initiative of national reconciliation, with the participation of civil society, by supporting a unified political platform, by strengthening the role of women - this is undoubtedly a difficult process and I cannot be proud of any success so far.
Together with President Charles Michel, the Charles Michel Agreement was signed on April 19 in the presence of all political parties in the presidential palace. If this agreement had been fully implemented, Georgia would have already been granted candidate status. By pardoning opposition figures three times to ease political tensions, the decision came at a high political cost in a polarized atmosphere. In view of some of the interventions I have received, I want to make it clear that while I am representing a small country, the discretion of the President on this matter should be respected equally for a small or a large country. A pardon is a power that the president must exercise. The power of the president should be free from any pressure from inside the country or outside the country and I also want to appeal to certain government circles that there is no need to try to threaten me because I will do what I think is necessary. By using my constitutional veto, against the legislation that contradicts European principles, and I know that maybe my veto was overcome or will be overcome by the majority in the future, it will be supported and strengthened by hundreds of thousands of citizens of Georgia, because it concerns the basic principles to which we are all loyal," the President said.
