If Georgia does not make progress in reversing its authoritarian course, we will challenge the credentials of the Georgian delegation on substantive grounds and call on the Assembly and the Committee of Ministers to initiate the process of Georgia’s expulsion, reads the declaration of PACE.
The declaration states that on January 29, 2025, the Parliamentary Assembly adopted a resolution ratifying the credentials of the Georgian delegation on the condition that Georgia would meet democratic standards by April 2025, including releasing political prisoners and announcing new parliamentary elections under improved electoral conditions.
“Instead, the situation has sharply deteriorated. High-ranking opposition leaders have been arrested. Civil society activists and journalists have faced politically motivated criminal prosecutions. This is no longer a series of isolated incidents but a continuous campaign to eliminate democratic opposition, restrict freedom of expression, and silence civil society. Furthermore, the Georgian delegation has unilaterally withdrawn from the Assembly. This path of repression violates Georgia’s obligations as a member of the Council of Europe and contradicts the Assembly’s authority,” the declaration states.
The deputies of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe emphasize that the Assembly must uphold its rules and resolutions.
“Ignoring the regression toward authoritarianism in member states undermines the foundations of this institution. If Georgia does not make progress in reversing its authoritarian course, we will challenge the credentials of the Georgian delegation on substantive grounds and call on the Assembly and the Committee of Ministers to initiate the process of Georgia’s expulsion from the Council of Europe due to serious violations of the fundamental principles outlined in Article 3 of the Statute,” the declaration states.
