Council of Europe Adopts Strong Resolution on Georgia

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has adopted a firm resolution raising concerns about the state of democracy and the rule of law in Georgia, with 68 out of 77 delegates voting in favor, 7 against, and 2 abstaining.

The resolution, titled “Democracy and Rule of Law in Georgia,” warns that democratic standards in the country are “at risk” and condemns what it calls an increasingly hostile stance by Georgian authorities toward European institutions, The Caspian Post reports citing foreign media.

The debate before the vote exposed deep divisions. British delegate Peron Moon said Georgia’s “windows of democracy are closing” and warned that “time is running out.” Meanwhile, Turkish member Berdan Ozturk criticized what he called selective tolerance, arguing the Assembly had been less critical toward other countries’ flawed elections.

The resolution was presented by co-rapporteurs Edith Estrela of Portugal and Sabina Cudic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It expressed concern over Georgia’s upcoming local elections, noting that most opposition parties have decided not to participate, that respected local NGOs will not be observing, and that the government sent its invitation to the OSCE too late for effective monitoring.

It also condemned political prosecutions, new repressive laws, and failures to investigate police violence during demonstrations. PACE urged the government to “immediately stop the misuse of legal proceedings” and release anyone held for politically motivated reasons.

Reactions in Tbilisi were predictably polarized. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze dismissed the resolution as worthless if not based on “objective assessments,” saying the government had suspended its activities in the Assembly. The ruling Georgian Dream party called the document “full of lies” and said it bore the fingerprints of a “deep state.”

Opposition leaders, in contrast, welcomed the resolution as a wake-up call, warning that Georgia risks international isolation.