MEP Hökmark awarded Georgian Order of Excellence

“I am deeply honoured to receive the Georgian presidential Order of Excellence from outgoing President Mikheil Saakashvili”, says EPP Group Vice-Chairman and spokesman for neighbourhood policies, Gunnar Hökmark after a ceremony in Brussels on Tuesday.

President Saakashvili has transformed Georgia to a modern democracy with close links to the European Union. The democratic developments was earlier this year manifested in free and open elections that led to a peaceful change of leadership in Georgia.

“Developments after the free elections are worrying. The new government of Georgia has used legal actions as a way of harassing the opposition. This must stop”, says Gunnar Hökmark.

“We want to see Georgia as a partner to the European Union but the Georgian government must show it wants to be a partner respecting the rule of law and freedom of media”, concluded Gunnar Hökmark.