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Levan Ioseliani supports PACE resolution, minus amendment where Saakashvili is considered a political prisoner

By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, October 17, 2022
The leader of the 'Citizens' Party, Levan Ioseliani, said that he supported the resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), but he did not agree with the amendment made to this resolution, which talks about Mikheil Saakashvili's political imprisonment.

Ioseliani said that according to the regulations, it was possible to vote only for the resolution and not for the amendment, and he did so.

According to Ioseliani, the European Council's resolution, which provides for the declaration of Russia as a terrorist state and the supply of additional weapons to Ukraine, had full consolidation on the part of the representatives.

In his opinion, this resolution is very important in terms of content "because it confirms Russia's aggressive policy, the fact that Russia is a terrorist state and it is on the wrong side of history," said Ioseliani.

The deputy stated that the only inconvenience was created when the issue of the fourth amendment arose, which included Mikheil Saakashvili among the political prisoners. According to Ioseliani, this amendment "actually had nothing to do with this resolution".

"A very important resolution was adopted both in the European Council, in Strasbourg, and in the United Nations. As you know, there was also a resolution that condemned the occupation of four regions. Only five countries did not support this resolution in the UN, which once again proves how isolated Russia is from the civilized world.

As for the resolution of the European Council, here too there was complete consolidation and unanimity on the part of the representatives. This resolution is very important in its content, because it confirms Russia's aggressive policy, that Russia is a terrorist state and that it is on the wrong side of history. Today, Russia's policy is actually condemned by the entire civilized world.

The only inconvenience was that a fourth definition was introduced at the last moment, which actually had nothing to do with this resolution. There was talk about political prisoners and Mikheil Saakashvili is mentioned in brackets. The note was introduced at the initiative of Ukrainian deputies and others also signed it. The rules provided for the possibility to support the resolution, but not to support its additions, which you do not agree with, and I did just that.

I made a statement at the plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and said that I supported the resolution declaring Russia a terrorist state, but I did not agree with the amendment regarding Saakashvili," said Levan Ioseliani.

On October 13, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) supported the resolution, which provides for the declaration of the current Russian regime as a terrorist and the provision of weapons to Ukraine.

In the Parliamentary Assembly, 99 deputies supported the resolution under the name "Another escalation of the Russian Federation against Ukraine".