[EGP] EGP PRESS RELEASE : EGP supports Georgian Greens as they fight attempt to illegally evict them from their office

08.05.2007

EUROPEAN GREENS SUPPORT GEORGIAN GREENS AS THEY FIGHT ATTEMPT TO ILLEGALLY EVICT THEM FROM THEIR OFFICE

The Spokespersons of the European Green Party today expressed their support for the Green Party of Georgia (a member party of the EGP) who are currently fighting eviction from their Party Headquarters in Tbilisi .The Georgian Greens are convinced that this eviction, which they consider to be entirely illegal, is politically motivated discrimination against their party . This view is shared by the Parliamentary Opposition, other political parties not currently represented in the parliament, representatives of civil society and NGOs, all of whom have pledged their support for the Georgian Greens as they try to have the decision to evict them from their offices overturned.

EGP Co-Spokesperson Ulrike Lunacek said: “The Georgian Greens have rented out this office since 1989 when Georgia was still part of the Soviet Union. The current contract is valid until 2014 and the Georgian Greens have not violated the terms of this contract in anyway. We understand that the building in Mushtaidi Park is of great importance, not only to the Green Party of Georgia because of the fact that the party was founded their by the late Zurab Zhvania, the former Prime Minister of Georgia, but also to the Georgian nation as a whole, as it was in this very building that the first national liberation movement was started after the collapse of the Soviet union in 1989.”

EGP Co-Spokesperson Philippe Lamberts continued; “Both the Georgian Greens and many other opposition parties in Georgia that the attempted eviction is a politically motivated act of revenge by the Municipal authorities and the Georgian Government; revenge for a very successful and high-profile Green Party of Georgia Congress which was held just a few days before the order for eviction was presented. The Georgian Greens are convinced that this conference was a cause of great annoyance and embarrassment to the Georgian Government because of the appearance at the Congress of Giorgi Zhvania, the brother of the late Zurab Zhvania, the former Prime Minister of Georgia. The Georgian Greens have been given no legitimate reason why they should be evicted and so we can only assume that it is a form of political discrimination.”

Both Spokespersons gave their wholehearted support for the legal action taken by the Georgian Greens to challenge the eviction order:

“The Georgian Greens were only given 5 days to vacate their office but have a launched a legal appeal against the decision to evict them. We very much hope that this legal challenge is successful but we call on the Municipal Authorities in Tbilisi, and the Georgian Government, to reverse the decision to evict the Georgian Greens from their office.” Lunacek and Lamberts concluded.

Graham Burgess

Communications Officer

European Green Party

Tel no: 0032 (0)2 626 0720

Mobile: 00 32 (0)477 902 023

Email: graham.burgess@europeangreens.org