Since regaining independence, Georgia has never faced such a decisive moment as today. Our country stands before a simple dilemma: either the oligarch or the European Union. The European Union represents the sole path for Georgia’s development as well as security. Against this path stands the oligarch who has his personal interest in every sphere of life – politics, economy, public life – and who rules the Government, Parliament and the judiciary.
With its actions and statements, the Georgian Government is persistently closing the door that the EU says is open. The European Commission’s refusal to grant Georgia a candidate status for the EU membership is one of the biggest failures that our country could suffer in this new emerging world order and the ongoing aggression against our ally, Ukraine. This is a kind of defeat that our forefathers, we or indeed future generations do not deserve. This defeat was brought about by the Government’s decade-long focus on interests of one individual – Bidzina Ivanishvili. We consider that unforgivable mistakes have been committed, to put it in very modest terms; mistakes that merit the public’s principled response. Only the public at large will be able to get back what was taken away from it – our nation’s future.
We have a roadmap – the conclusions of the European Commission that specifically lay out in which case will Georgia be granted a candidate status. Political will would make implementation of those conditions in rather short period of time possible. This includes the conclusions’ part concerning media. The Georgian government must halt its persecution of the free media, journalists and media owners. The cases with severe consequences must be investigated and perpetrators punished. In particular, we would single out organizers of the July 5, 2021 mass violence whose deliberate actions resulted in death of our colleague Lekso Lashkarava and inflicted physical damage upon 53 journalists. We would also like to stress the case of Mtavari TV Director Nika Gvaramia who was jailed as a result of political justice. The Government can reverse this case immediately, if it would have the political will in place. However, we no longer have any hope that the Government will implement any of the conditions.
Today, we appeal to you, our viewers, readers and listeners. We, media critical towards the Government and independent from it have to fight both for survival and carrying out our professional duties. It is our obligation to keep supplying reliable information to the public, keep power-holders in check, defend Georgia’s western course, seek answers to your questions as well as countering well-resourced disinformation and propaganda machines of both the Georgian Government as well as the Russian Federation.
We are in a fight in which there is no way back. This is why we see only what is before us. We see you – our audience whom we want to tell once again that we intend do defend our profession and your right to receive diverse information; for you to be able to have access to news and act in an informed way so that we all achieve the goal that has been stated many times on this place and will be stated with special rigor tomorrow, on June 20: We have one goal, home towards Europe. And since the question today is either the oligarch or Europe, in this struggle, we obviously choose Europe.
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