PACE adopts critical resolution on Georgia’s ‘democratic backsliding’

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Thursday adopted a resolution on the political situation in Georgia, passing it by 89 votes to three. The resolution expressed “deep concern” over the ongoing “democratic decline” in the country and the absence of a Georgian delegation in the Assembly.

PACE officials noted that despite an agreement in January to ratify the credentials of the Georgian delegation with limited powers, all Georgian delegates had since left, effectively rejecting dialogue. This has left Georgia unrepresented in the Assembly, undermining the country’s obligations as a member of the Council of Europe.

The resolution also criticized the Georgian Dream party’s failure to implement previous PACE recommendations, warning that the “democratic backsliding” would make it difficult for any new Georgian delegation to have its credentials ratified in the Assembly’s next session.

The Assembly maintained its demand for Georgia to “create conditions for democratic, free, and fair elections and to immediately release political prisoners.” The resolution, which consists of 14 paragraphs, further noted that none of the previous recommendations had been implemented, with the situation only worsening since the last assessment. PACE also highlighted the rapid decline in the quality of democracy in Georgia, as observed by its international partners.

Earlier in January, PACE recognized the Georgian delegation’s limited mandate, with conditions set for further discussion at the April session. However, the Georgian Dream party preemptively withdrew its members before the mandate could be discussed.

PACE, the parliamentary body of the Council of Europe, serves as an important forum for dialogue among European nations. While distinct from the European Union, the Council of Europe has included Georgia as a member since 1999. This membership was symbolically underscored by then-Parliament Speaker Zurab Zhvania’s iconic statement, “I am Georgian and therefore European,” made at PACE in 1999.