UK Embassy in Georgia defends civil society support, rejects Government’s 'propaganda' claim

The British Embassy in Georgia on Wednesday defended its support for Georgian civil society and rejected recent claims by the Georgian government that such activities amounted to the funding of “propaganda and extremism.”

In a written comment, the Embassy emphasized that UK-Georgia cooperation was rooted in shared democratic values, as outlined in the Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement signed by both governments in 2019. The agreement, particularly Articles 4 and 341, committed the parties to enhancing democratic institutions, ensuring respect for human rights, and promoting the active role of civil society.

“For many years the UK has supported civil society in Georgia, including voter education, funding for local election observers working to international standards, and contributions to ODIHR/OSCE monitoring missions,” the statement said. “The Georgian government itself previously supported this activity and we reject its current description as funding ‘propaganda and extremism.’ Nothing could be further from the truth.”

The Embassy underscored that citizen election monitoring was enshrined in Georgian legislation and remained an essential component of free and transparent elections.

Calling for continued engagement with international partners, the UK encouraged the Georgian government to invite ODIHR/OSCE observers to the upcoming municipal elections in October and to implement recommendations from the OSCE’s final report on the 2024 parliamentary elections.

Concluding the statement, the Embassy reaffirmed its belief in the Georgian people's aspirations for democracy and freedom, expressing hope that continued cooperation with both the UK and European institutions would help advance those goals.