James O’Brien: "Georgian Dream is trying to convince citizens that everything is fine. But it is not"
James O’Brien interview
In an interview with Voice of America, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James O’Brien stated that the ruling party, Georgian Dream, is trying to convince the country’s citizens that everything is fine, but that is not the case.
This was the senior White House official’s response to a statement by Georgian prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze, in which he expressed the intention to dissolve some opposition parties. According to O’Brien, this clearly indicates that Georgian Dream is incapable of leading Georgia towards Europe.
Key points from James O’Brien’s interview:
● “The statement about dissolving opposition parties does not sound democratic. One party does not have the right to decide which other party can compete [with it]. Citizens should determine which parties get mandates in parliament, following fair rules that are clear in advance. So yes, I think it was a very revealing comment, and it shows that this is not a government that can lead Georgia to Europe.”
● “We want the Georgian people to have the chance to vote in free and fair [parliamentary] elections, and for that, we need to ensure that the whole process works well. This includes public associations, civil organizations, and volunteers. In the coming months, all of them should be able to work effectively without fear of persecution or violence. This is important.”
As for the “foreign agents” law, as we have said repeatedly, it is fundamentally flawed. There are ways in which European states protect their electoral systems, but this law does not do that. One of the issues is that it involves coercion.
● “[The Georgian government] denies reality, fails to acknowledge it. They didn’t even notice that we [the U.S.] stopped providing them with $95 million in assistance. And ‘Georgian Dream’ is trying to tell its voters and all Georgian citizens that everything is fine. No, everything is not fine. Georgia wants to join the European Union. There are clear rules. And the people responsible for these rules are telling you that you made a mistake.”
They developed a bad law. Two more new bad laws are on the verge of being created. All of this needs to stop so that the people of Georgia can get what they desire.”
