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Benedetta De Marte

Secretary General of the European Greens

Dear John,

 

Greetings from Tbilisi, Georgia!

 

Last weekend, Viola von Cramon, an MEP and a long-standing friend of Georgia, and I travelled to Tbilisi to express the European Green Family's solidarity with the brave people who recently protested a controversial Russian-inspired 'foreign agent' law. Thanks to their successful protests, the Georgian government has dropped the law.

 

Their courage and engagement have truly inspired me.

 

During my visit, I had the opportunity to meet with activists and civil society actors who had been at the frontlines of the demonstrations. They explained to me that the foreign agent law threatened freedom of expression and the ability of NGOs and independent media outlets to operate freely in Georgia.

 

But they and the thousands of Georgian citizens who joined them in the streets were not just opposing a single law; they were fighting for their future as part of the EU and their longing for a stronger democracy and more fundamental rights. Their strength and adherence to our common values truly inspired me, and it was a privilege to meet them!

Secretary General Benedetta De Marte and Green MEP Viola von Cramon meet Georgian feminist and LGBTIQ+ organisations.

Unfortunately, despite the successful protests, the Georgian government continues to make it increasingly difficult for the country to fulfil its aspirations to join the EU. While the law has been dropped, there are fears that the government will introduce other detrimental legislation that could endanger Georgia's EU path.

 

As European Greens, we are committed to supporting Georgia's path towards European integration, especially in the current geopolitical context.

 

We stand in steadfast solidarity with civil society and political organisations like the Young Greens and Mtsvaneebi who are fighting for a more democratic and European future for Georgia. 

 

It is clear that this fight is far from over, and we will continue to support Georgian society's struggle for democracy and European integration.

 

Green wishes,

 

Benedetta De Marte

Murals in Georgia's capital Tbilisi.

Secretary General Benedetta De Marte and Green MEP Viola von Cramon meet green activists that have been at the forefront of the organisation of recent protests in Georgia.

A women's solidarity march organised in Tbilisi on Sunday, 2nd April, 2023.

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