MP Bitadze accuses Venice Commission of replacing legal assessments with political statements

MP Maia Bitadze, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Environmental Protection, on Thursday criticised the Venice Commission, claiming the body had shifted from providing legal assessments to issuing political statements.

Speaking on Imedi TV regarding the Commission’s recent recommendations, Bitadze argued that its position toward Georgia reflected a discriminatory attitude that undermined the principle of equality among states in international law.

“They are openly telling us that Georgia is a second- or third-tier state, which does not have the right to adopt the kind of legislation that developed countries have. It is hard to find a greater example of discrimination in international law,” Bitadze said.

She added that Georgia had long demonstrated respect for the Venice Commission, yet the country had repeatedly received politically motivated statements lacking legal justification.

“Unfortunately, the Venice Commission, whose duty is to make legal evaluations, has moved on to preparing political declarations. We have seen this before, their conclusions have often been legally unfounded and detached from the principles of democracy and equality,” Bitadze noted.

The MP also criticised what she described as a “paradoxical” double standard in the Commission’s position on foreign influence laws.

“The Commission claims that FARA is acceptable in the United States, but not in Georgia. This is a clear example of unequal treatment,” she said, adding that, as a specialist in international law, she finds it deeply concerning that “international law is being deliberately undermined by certain politicians and political groups”.