The European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has called for an investigation into the conduct of Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Várhelyi over reports that “he deliberately undermines centrality of democracy and rule-of-law reforms in accession countries.”
Tils Rejuten, MEP from the Dutch Labour Party posted an amendment on twitter in which the AFET Committee urges the European Commission to launch such investigation into whether Mr Várhelyi’s conduct and policies “constitute a breach of the Code of Conduct for the Members of the European Commission and the Commissioner’s obligations under the Treaties.”
In stark contrast with increasingly critical views in all key European institutions, Mr Várhelyi has repeatedly praised the conduct of the Georgian Dream Government.
Most recently, during his last visit to Georgia on November 15, the Commissioner again praised Georgian Dream, triggering confusion and muted anger amongst Georgia’s civil society and opposition.
Oliver Varhelyi praised GD’s commitment to the fulfilment of the EU recommendations concerning judicial reform and the fight against corruption, in which Georgia is a “frontrunner.” He also stressed that Georgia is doing relatively better in terms of international transparency compared to other European countries.
When asked about the imprisonment of Mtavari TV Channel CEO Nika Gvaramia and the deoligarchization law, Mr. Varhely raised eyebrows by stating that he “does not know so much about Georgian politics.”
The Commissioner also dodged journalists’ question on deoligarchisation – a key demand put forth by the European Commission for Georgia in order to receive the EU candidate status.
Mr Várhelyi’s statements run directly counter to simmering concern over Georgia’s trajectory mirrored in the EU’s numerous statements and documents.
Most recently, the European Parliament’s Annual Report on the Implementation of the Association Agreement between Georgia and the EU “recommends to address the excessive influence of vested interests, notably of former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili in a systemic way through structural and regulatory reforms in various areas of the country’s political, economic and public life.”
The report also “calls on the Georgian authorities to stop the politically motivated criminal cases and to review the ongoing criminal cases against media workers and owners or close family members of media outlets critical of the government,” including founders of Formula TV and Pirveli TV.
In another Resolution adopted in June, the European Parliament also called for personal sanctions on Mr Ivanishvili for both Georgia’s backsliding as well as his links to Russia.
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