The Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili believes that the ones who can change the situation are Georgian people and they will do it in the elections, APA reports citing Georgian Public Broadcaster.
“My veto is as symbolic as this law has been. I know the veto will be repelled, but that does not matter, as I will do it in the name of the people protesting on the streets so that they are not left just standing on the streets,” said Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili in an interview with Euractiv.
"This bill changes the terms of our relationship with our Western partners and friends, as it considers them agents of subversion and revolution that are trying to overthrow the current government.
The narrative of ‘you have helped us for 30 years, but now you are agents of foreign influence‘ does not fit."
The President remarked that the bill on Transparency of Foreign Influence, re-introduced for the second time, is an obstacle to Georgia’s European future: “It is a clear obstacle to our European future. Instead of what we should be doing—working on Georgia starting accession negotiations—we are losing time and the consensus of society for something that is clearly defined (by our constitution)."
“The only ones who can change the bigger picture of our current situation are the people themselves in the elections. We have to prepare peacefully and quietly for the elections and the role the EU can play.
They have to make clear what Georgia’s choice is in the elections and they have to put it in those terms. Either it is continuing on the path towards the EU and accelerating if possible, or taking another direction.
The EU has to hear not only people on the streets but also what people will say in the elections, which will be a type of referendum. Depending on the outcome, this will decide whether they [the EU] will or will not pause the visa liberalization or other processes,” she said.
