European MP reveals conditions for Georgia to become EU member

European Parliament member from Germany, Viola von Cramon, has said that de-oligarchisation is necessary for all countries that want to join the European Union (EU) and Georgia is facing this problem.

She added that the problem was included in 12 recommendations proposed by the EU, according to Interpress.Ge. 

Cramon said that the partner countries in Europe are very worried about the recent developments in Georgia, including the situation related to media freedom, the verdicts against various activists, media representatives, and former President Mikheil Saakashvili.

She added that the role of Bidzina Ivanishvili, an extremely rich person who actually rules the country, affects the whole structure by taking over the state.

Meanwhile, co-founder of the centrist liberal political party Lelo in Georgia, Badri Japaridze, said Georgia had no chance of becoming an EU candidate country under the current governance of the ruling Georgian Dream party. 

"The recommendation of the European Commission clearly stated that under this type of governance, Georgia will not be able to receive the status of a candidate for EU membership. This is where the recommendations come from, the implementation of which means that the oligarchic rule in the country should be ended, politicized justice, and the court should be freed, all of this is against what the Georgia­n Dream wants. Therefore, it is clear that Georgia has no chance of becoming an EU candidate country under the current governance of Georgia­n Dream, but we, the pro-Western opposition, are obliged to develop our vision in relation to all these recommendations, which will be in full agreement with the expectations that European Union has," he said.