Azernews.Az

By Sabina Idayatova

There is a real chance that Georgia would be able to initiate Association Agreement with the European Union, including agreement on deep and comprehensive free trade area during the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius in November, member of the delegation of the European Parliament from the Progressive Alliance of Social Democrats Libor Rouchek said in Tbilisi on June 5.

"There is a strong chance that Georgia will succeed and no matter which political group in the European Parliament we represent, we fully support this effort," MEP Rouchek said.

According to Rouchek, during the meetings held in Georgia, the vast majority of the population expressed a strong commitment to the country's integration into the European Union.

"There is a strong consensus on this question," he said.

Rouchek went on to say that members of the European Parliament called on the Georgian government and the opposition to lower their rhetoric and start cooperating for the benefit of the country.

He noted the importance of the change of power in Georgia through peaceful and democratic means.

Polish MEP Krzysztof Lisek, in turn, spoke about the detention conditions of United National Movement secretary general Vano Merabishvili.

Lisek, who requested the Georgian Justice Minister Tsulukiani for granting him access to jailed Merabishvili, assessed his conditions in the detention facility as "satisfactory".

Answering to the question was the Merabishvili's arrest "a political revenge", Lisek responded that it is very difficult to judge, because different opinions from representatives of the government and the opposition have been heard.

Merabishvili was detained on May 21 and accused of corrupt practices, abuse of power and embezzlement of public funds.

Lisek went on to say that competition between the political parties should be done in "a civilized way, and the politicians should take into consideration that there are other elections in two, three, four years and everyone can win".

A group of seven European Parliament members visited Georgia on June 3-5. The visit was aimed to familiarize with the situation in the country after peaceful transfer of power and ahead of the presidential elections scheduled for October 2013.

During the visit the delegation met President Saakashvili, Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, Parliamentary Speaker Davit Usupashvili, Interior Minister Irakli Garibashvili, minister in charge of penitentiary system Sozar Subari, Public Defender Ucha Nanuashvili, UNM parliamentary minority group leadership, as well as representatives of civil society and media.