Den 24 februari publicerade New Europe en artikel skriven av Frivärlds ordförande Gunnar Hökmark. Ämnet är demokratins framtid i Georgien och Hökmark menar att EU:s försök att säkerställa en demokratisk utveckling i landet inte har fungerat. Därför måste EU börja ställa ännu tydligare krav:
The EU must stand firm, otherwise, Georgia risks turning into a new Belarus. It must first call halt the police brutality against the opposition and the immediate release of their leader, Nika Melia. Furthermore, it must also call for an independent inquiry to look into the issue of the rule of law within the Georgian institutions to secure their independence. A new mission regarding human rights needs to be appointed in order to secure broad support for how said rights are defended and democracy safeguarded.
If the Georgian government does not listen, the EU must clarify that it will end the Association Agreement that came into force in 2016 as well as the visa-free travel regimen that came into being in 2017. If the Georgian government says goodbye to democracy. it must understand that it also says goodbye to the European Union.
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