EU Welcomes Pardoning of the Opposition Leaders
European Parliament members have responded to the recent release of opposition leaders Gigi Ugulava and Irakli Okruasvhili, welcoming President Salome Zurabishvili’s pardon of former Mayor of Tbilisi and former Minister of Defense.
Andrius Kubilius, former Prime Minister of Lithuania and now a member of the EU Parliament tweeted:
“Important development in #Georgia - President Zurabishvili has pardoned two opposition leaders, former Mayor of Tbilisi Gigi Ugulava and former Minister of Defense Irakli Okruashvili. Step to the right direction. My congratulations to Pres
Marina Kaljurand MEP, former Foreign Minister of Estonia tweeted:
"I welcome the pardon of Ugulava & Okruashvili as a step taken in good faith towards diffusing tensions. I call on all sides to work together on the implementation of the 8/03 agreement & look forward to further disc. once the state of emergency is lifted.”
The Georgian President pardoned Ugulava and Okruashvili, who have both claimed they were imprisoned on a political basis, on Friday evening. Both have now left the penitentiary facility.
By Nini Dakhundaridze