The News in Brief
Thursday, May 16, 2024
Prepared by Messenger Staff
Parliament Rejects President Zourabichvili's Veto on Gender Quota Law
The Parliament dismissed President Salome Zourabichvili's veto opposing the law abolishing gender quotas and instead supported the law.
In her motivated remarks, the President emphasized that one of the priorities of the 12 recommendations of the European Commission was gender equality.
According to Zourabichvili's position, the repeal of quotas represents a backward step in this regard.
"The low rate of women's participation in political processes is one of the main challenges in Georgia. The specific changes made to increase women's participation in politics have not yet significantly improved women's representation in political roles. In this context, the changes adopted by the Parliament will further deteriorate the representation of women in politics," Zourabichvili wrote.
Lithuanian and Estonian Foreign Ministers Correct Shalva Papuashvili's Statement
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Gabrielius Landsbergis, responded to a statement made by Shalva Papuashvili following a meeting with the ministers. According to Papuashvili, during the meeting they agreed that they had made the correct decision by "not listening to their European colleagues and refraining from imposing sanctions."
"In response to confusion about the meeting with the Chair of the Parliament of Georgia
Shalva Papuashvili, I feel the need to clarify that we did not agree that Georgia was right to ignore European advice and values, and we expressed extremely strong views, not 'some concerns'," Landsbergis wrote on X.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna also responded to Papuashvili's statement, saying, "Let me be clear - we did not agree on any of this. My message is the opposite: Georgia is not moving in the right direction."
Parliament Rejects President Zourabichvili's Veto on Gender Quota Law
In her motivated remarks, the President emphasized that one of the priorities of the 12 recommendations of the European Commission was gender equality.
According to Zourabichvili's position, the repeal of quotas represents a backward step in this regard.
"The low rate of women's participation in political processes is one of the main challenges in Georgia. The specific changes made to increase women's participation in politics have not yet significantly improved women's representation in political roles. In this context, the changes adopted by the Parliament will further deteriorate the representation of women in politics," Zourabichvili wrote.
Lithuanian and Estonian Foreign Ministers Correct Shalva Papuashvili's Statement
"In response to confusion about the meeting with the Chair of the Parliament of Georgia
Shalva Papuashvili, I feel the need to clarify that we did not agree that Georgia was right to ignore European advice and values, and we expressed extremely strong views, not 'some concerns'," Landsbergis wrote on X.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna also responded to Papuashvili's statement, saying, "Let me be clear - we did not agree on any of this. My message is the opposite: Georgia is not moving in the right direction."