Parallel to the EaP Summit, the majoritarian bloc in the EU Parliament, the European People's Party (EPP), held its Eastern Partnership leaders meeting. The former President of the EU Council and current EPP President Donald Tusk made remarks on the current political issues in the South Caucasus.
In relation to Azerbaijan, Tusk expressed the EPP’s support for territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders. “We reiterate our support for territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders… we reiterate our comprehensive support for the efforts and basic principles of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution,” he said.
On Armenia (which was represented by the Republican Party in the bloc), Tusk commented on Prosperous Armenia leader Gagik Tsarukyan’s case, by expressing concerns “by numerous instances of backsliding of democracy” in the country and calling the Armenian authorities “to refrain from pressuring the opposition.” Armenia’s Vice Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan replied to the statements by saying that Tusk “sees Armenia through the eyes of [former President] Serzh Sargsyan” (Caucasus Watch reported).
In relation to Georgia (which was represented by the United National Movement in the bloc), Tusk urged the Georgian Dream government to “fully abide by the 8 March election agreement” and release co-founder of the opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi Giorgi Rurua. Gakharia responded to the comments, stating that constitutional changes in Georgia are in progress and that the process would be complete as Georgia deserves this. “The election system is critically important for Georgia’s further democratisation as well as the [ability of the] court to make decisions on concrete criminal cases or (alleged) offences,” Gakharia said.
