Georgia's outgoing president urges EU to use more leverage to back protesters
ABC News - Dec 18th, 2024
Georgia's outgoing president, Salome Zourabichvili, has urged the European Union to pressure Georgia's pro-Russian government for a new election amid a police crackdown on peaceful opposition protests. These protests have erupted after the ruling Georgian Dream party halted EU membership talks. Despite Georgia achieving candidate status for EU membership, the accession has been paused due to a controversial 'foreign influence' law. Zourabichvili criticized the EU's slow response and called for stronger measures, highlighting the need for a free and fair election in Georgia. The EU has imposed visa restrictions on Georgian officials and condemned the police violence, urging the respect of freedom of assembly and expression.
RATING
The article provides a detailed account of the political situation in Georgia, focusing on the tension between the Georgian government and the opposition, as well as the EU's response. It maintains a neutral tone and presents information that is generally verifiable. However, it could benefit from more diverse perspectives and clearer attribution of sources.
RATING DETAILS
The article accurately reports on recent events in Georgia, including the protests and EU's response. The information provided is factual and can be verified through other reliable news sources.
While the article presents the perspective of Georgia's outgoing president and mentions the EU's stance, it lacks representation of the Georgian government's viewpoint. Including statements or reactions from the governing party would improve balance.
The language used is clear and neutral, avoiding emotive terms. The article is logically structured, making it easy to follow the sequence of events and understand the key issues discussed.
The article references statements from Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili and mentions EU actions, which are credible sources. However, it does not specify the sources of some claims, such as the alleged rigging of the election, which could affect reliability.
The article discloses the political affiliations of the figures mentioned and provides context for the EU's actions. However, it does not clearly outline its sources or potential biases, which would enhance transparency.