The Parliamentary Opposition, with the active engagement of NGOs, has developed joint legal initiatives and the basic package of the changes for the fulfillment of the EU recommendations to receive the EU candidate status.

“The breakthrough of the grave political and economic situation in the country and the fundamental reforms require in-depth changes, which we have developed within the working format for the fulfillment of 12 recommendations, however, in this view we offer to the Government not all the drafts we have developed but the basic approaches that were communicated with the visions of NGOs and are realistic and feasible within the short remaining term.

We consider it principal to return to April 19 Agreement (Charles Michel document) for depolarization, including the adoption of the Constitutional changes with the II and III readings and ending of the politicized justice; besides, the Election Code shall be modified according to April 19 agreement.

As to the judicial sphere, at this stage, it is important to adopt a new strategy and action plan, the election of the members to the High Council of Justice with due qualification and reputation, the commencement of the reform of the High Council of Justice, annulment of the prejudicing regulations adopted by the Parliament in 2021 and the publicity of the Court orders.

For countering corruption, we initiated the set-up of the National Anti-Corruption agency, and in the media sphere – it is important to start the effective investigation of the July 5-6 case, termination of the investigations and proceedings to the media, and submission of the alternative Draft on Broadcasting.

Hence, if the Georgian Dream and Bidzina Ivanishvili are really aspired to receive the EU candidate status, it is logical to share our minimalist and compromised version of the legal changes and not pose threat to this process. Otherwise, the full responsibility for the failure to receive the status will be imposed on the Georgian Dream and Bidzina Ivanishvili. By this step we take, we put the Georgian people, civil society, democratic opposition and the Western partners on the one side and the Georgian Dream and Bidzina Ivanishvili on the other.

We believe that the EU candidate status and the EU integration constitute the key task for the freedom, security and national welfare of the country”, - reads the statement.