The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is set to discuss a report on Georgia during its summer plenary session on Wednesday, reads the information published on the Assembly’s official website.
The report, titled “The Functioning of Democratic Institutions in Georgia,” was prepared by rapporteurs Edite Estrela of Portugal and Sabina Ćudić of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Based on the draft resolution accompanying the report, Georgia continues to experience democratic backsliding, alongside increasing pressure on civil society, political opposition, independent media and dissenting voices. The document states that none of the Assembly’s urgent recommendations to the Georgian authorities have been implemented.
“The persistent failure of democracy in Georgia and the lack of follow-up on the Assembly’s recommendations raise serious doubts about the authorities’ willingness to fulfil their obligations as a member of the Council of Europe,” the draft resolution says.
At the same time, the Assembly reiterates its commitment to maintaining an open and results-oriented dialogue with the Georgian authorities, as well as with all political and social stakeholders in the country.
The report strongly criticizes initiatives aimed at banning opposition parties and prosecuting their leaders, describing such efforts as politically motivated and incompatible with democratic standards.
“The continuation of this path would effectively establish a one-party dictatorship in Georgia, which violates the fundamental principles of democracy and is incompatible with Council of Europe membership,” the document states.
PACE calls on the Georgian authorities to withdraw their application to the Constitutional Court seeking to ban opposition parties and to end what it describes as unjust and politically motivated criminal prosecutions against opposition leaders.
The report further argues that the current political environment in Georgia does not provide the conditions necessary for genuinely democratic elections, citing what it describes as the relentless suppression of opposition forces, civil society organizations and independent media, as well as deep political polarization.
The Assembly urges the authorities to launch an inclusive political process involving all political actors and civil society representatives in order to restore a free and democratic political environment.
The draft resolution also calls for an end to restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly, condemns what it describes as politically motivated prosecutions of opposition figures, and recommends repealing recently adopted legislation that has drawn criticism from international organizations.
PACE expresses concern over the shrinking space for civil society organizations and independent media and calls for the repeal of the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, the Foreign Agents Registration Law (GEOFARA), and recent amendments to grant legislation, in line with recommendations issued by the Venice Commission.
The report additionally raises concerns about academic freedom in Georgia, urging safeguards to protect university independence and transparency in the management of university assets.
It also criticizes the lack of credible investigations into allegations of police violence and human rights abuses during anti-government protests, including claims of torture, ill-treatment in detention and the alleged use of prohibited chemical substances during protest dispersals in Tbilisi.
Finally, the Assembly calls on Georgia to fully implement judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and recommendations contained in the OSCE Moscow Mechanism report, which it says reflect broader concerns regarding democratic governance and the rule of law in the country.
