"This is extremely alarming" - EU ambassador on Russian base in Abkhazia, impeachment of Georgian president and law on tents

Commentary by Pavel Gerchinsky

According to EU Ambassador to Georgia Pavel Gerchinski, reports about the opening of a Russian naval base in the occupied Abkhazia in the city of Ochamchira are extremely worrying. Regarding the so-called law on tents, Herczynski explained that the EU supports freedom of expression and assembly. The ambassador also spoke out about the impeachment of the Georgian president, saying that the process is “not conducive” to depolarization.

On the Russian base in Abkhazia

“Let me reiterate the EU position: we support Georgia’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The news about the opening of another Russian military base in the occupied region of Abkhazia is, of course, extremely alarming. This will be a clear violation of Russia’s obligations under the six-point plan of 2008, this is clearly a very undesirable and disturbing development.”

According to the de facto president of Abkhazia Aslan Bzhania, a permanent Russian naval base will be established in Ochamchira. Bzhania said this in an interview with the Russian publication “Izvestia.”

Secretary of the Security Council of Abkhazia Sergei Shamba reacted to the statement of Aslan Bzhania and noted that this agreement “was not reached today” and the decision was taken at previous joint meetings. According to Shamba, this is an example for Abkhazia of the implementation of union agreements with the Russian Federation.

"Statement about new Russian base in Ochamchire is alarming" – Georgian Foreign Ministry

According to the Abkhazian president, a permanent Russian naval base will be established in Ochamchire

On the so-called tent law

“What I can say is that the European Union condemns violence, regardless of who it is directed against. We condemn any kind of violence, but on the other hand, we very clearly support freedom of expression and assembly.”

On October 5, the parliament adopted amendments to the law on assemblies and rallies in the third reading.

According to the draft law, participants in rallies or demonstrations are prohibited from putting up a temporary structure “if it poses a threat to the participants of the rally or demonstration or other persons, hinders the police in protecting public order and security, causes disruption of the normal functioning of an enterprise, institution or organization, or hinders the holding of the rally and demonstration”.

It is forbidden to pitch a tent: New rules for protesters in Georgia

A year before the parliamentary elections, the ruling Georgian Dream party comes up with an initiative to toughen the law on assemblies and demonstrations

On the impeachment of the President of Georgia

“The process of impeachment of the President of Georgia does not contribute to depolarization – point number one in the list of 12 recommendations of the European Union, that is why there is an ambiguous picture.”

The Constitutional Court of Georgia has finalized the hearings of the parties on the impeachment of Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, which were held for three days. The opinion of the CC should be published in due time within the next two weeks.

If the CC recognizes the violation of the constitution by Salome Zurabishvili, the process will already fall within the competence of the Parliament. To declare the impeachment of the president, the president needs the votes of 100 MPs – at this stage the ruling Georgian Dream party does not have the necessary support.