EU-Georgia relations at lowest point ever: Herczynski

At a meeting with journalists organized by the Charter of Journalistic Ethics, EU Ambassador to Georgia, Pawel Herczynski, expressed gratitude and solidarity with journalists for their “dedication” and “selflessness” in carrying out their professional duties, calling attacks on them “disgusting” and noted that the EU-Georgia relations are at the lowest point ever “because of a series of undemocratic decisions taken by the Georgian parliament and government,” civil.ge reports.

 

“Today, Georgia’s EU accession is stopped, and EU-Georgia relations are at the lowest point ever because of a series of undemocratic decisions taken by the Georgian parliament and government,” he said. “I never imagined we would be witnessing such brutal treatment of the media on the 1st anniversary of granting candidate status to Georgia,” he further noted.

 

“For many years, we believed that the priority need was to assist in developing media standards. Unfortunately, we see today that such priorities have changed drastically,” stated Herczynski. “The priority is now to physically protect journalists from beating, physical and verbal aggression, intimidation, persecution, ill-treatment, and even torture – this is the alarming allegation which featured in the Public Defender’s statements. It cannot be taken lightly.”

 

The Ambassador condemned efforts to silence media professionals and underlined the EU’s commitment to supporting free and independent journalism. He stressed that “in every statement and at every level the EU has consistently condemned actions aimed at silencing the media and preventing it from carrying out its professional duties.”