Georgian authorities under fire for detaining Melia, Roma MEP voici in critique
Romania's Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Dan Barna, has fiercely criticized and denounced the arrest of Nika Melia, the leader of the Georgian opposition 'Coalition for Change.' According to Barna, who also serves as Vice-President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), this arrest is part of a broader campaign of repression in Georgia under the current administration.
In a statement published on X, Barna raised concerns over the Georgian government's alleged crackdown on dissent. He stated, "This is a pattern of silencing opposition voices. We vehemently denounce these actions by the Georgian government, which undermine democratic values and the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of the Georgian people."
Barna also voiced his support for Georgia's pro-democracy movement and expressed solidarity with the courageous Georgian citizens who are reportedly resisting a drift from democracy and growing Russian influence.
Nika Melia, co-chair of the Ahali party and opposition leader, was detained in pretrial detention on May 30, 2025, following his refusal to meet the bail imposed by the court. His arrest was prompted by his failure to appear before the Georgian Parliament's commission. Subsequent events surrounding the arrest have been met with controversy.
The night before his court hearing, Melia was allegedly abducted near Lisi Lake in Tbilisi by what he described as 11 unidentified individuals. He claimed they did not clearly present themselves as police officers. Melia reported being forcibly taken into a vehicle and having his phone confiscated. The Interior Ministry stated that Melia was detained for an administrative offense related to insulting police officers, while the opposition maintains that Melia's statements characterize the incident as a politically motivated abduction.
During the court hearing, Judge Irakli Shvangiradze questioned whether Melia intended to pay the bail. However, Melia disputed the question, emphasizing the alleged abduction and the perceived lack of judicial interest in his account.
International reactions to Melia's arrest have attracted criticism from the media as concerns over Georgia's democratic future continue to rise and relations with its Western partners strain. As of the latest reports, Dan Barna has not made any specific statements regarding Nika Melia's arrest. The provided coverage primarily focuses on the legal and political context within Georgia, with Melia's arrest seen as part of a broader pattern of targeting opposition leaders.
- The escalating political tension in Georgia, as exemplified by the recent arrest of Nika Melia, has sparked concerns about the country's migration policies and the potential implications of war-and-conflicts, given the broader context of politics and policy-and-legislation.
- The arrest of Nika Melia, a Georgian opposition leader, has become a General-news topic of international interest, with critics arguing that it is indicative of a growing suppression of dissent in Georgia, raising questions about the nation's commitment to democratic values.
