German Ambassador: Mr. Rurua is not Mentioned in the March 8 Agreement

German Ambassador to Georgia Hubert Knirsch, one of the facilitators of the political dialogue between the Georgian government and the opposition, states that Giorgi Rurua, the founder and shareholder of the opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi TV, is not mentioned in the March 8 Agreement on electoral system reform in the country. 

"Mr. Rurua is not mentioned in the March 8 Agreement, it is clear and everybody can read it. I am surprised that he became an issue of discussion among the parties," the Ambassador told journalists. 

He noted that the polarization was not as strong as it seemed during the negotiations on the electoral system in Georgia. He also said that he expected that Monday, June 29, would be decisive for the fulfillment of the agreement.

Knirsch said he hoped that all political parties involved in the negotiations, or their representatives, would take part in the voting process and would back constitutional amendments.

“Mr. Rurua is not mentioned in March 8 Agreement, it is clear and everybody can read it. I am somehow surprised that he became the issue of discussion among the parties now. The opposition says that if Constitutional Amendments are put down in Parliament, the ruling party will be blamed for that. The majority says that if the adoption of the changes fails, it will happen because the opposition did not participate in the balloting,” he said.

"If Constitutional Amendments are approved, and I hope this happens so, then those, who support them in the parliament will be praised,” the Ambassador claimed.

Two other leaders of the opposition, former Mayor of Tbilisi Gigi Ugulava and former Minister of Defense Irakli Okruashvili were released from custody on May 15, after being pardoned by the President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili. Giorgi Rurua still remains in custody, while the opposition claims that he is a "political prisoner" and demands his release "as part of the March 8 Agreement between the parties."