Istanbul, November 18 — Under the chairwomanship of Gudrun Kugler, the EPP & likeminded group within the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly adopted an Emergency Resolution expressing deep concern over the accelerating democratic backsliding and authoritarian drift in Georgia.

Download the resolution here:

Text of the resolution:

Emergency Resolution: Authoritarian Decline in Georgia

Having regard to the final report of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on the parliamentary elections held in Georgia on 26 October 2024,

Having regard to the Resolutions adopted by the European Parliament and the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) on Georgia’s worsening democratic crisis following last year’s parliamentary elections and the decision of Georgian authorities to suspend Georgia’s European Accession,

Having regard to Georgia’s status as a European Union (EU) candidate country, granted by the European Council at its summit of 14 and 15 December 2023,

Having regard to Article 78 of the Georgian Constitution, which demands the implementation of all possible measures to guarantee Georgia’s complete integration into the EU and NATO,

Condemns the crackdown, illegal detention, torture and inhuman treatment of civilians participating in continuous peaceful protests for almost a year since 28 November 2024;

Deplores continues attacks on civil society, free media and academic institutions to restrict NGO activity, critical journalism and academic freedom;

Denounces political repressions and politically motivated arrests of political leaders, journalists, civic activists and peaceful protesters;

Condemns the authorities’ move to ban opposition parties through a mock constitutional court process aimed at silencing dissent;  

Urges the Georgian Dream to immediately release all political prisoners and stop instrumentalizing the judiciary as a means of political retribution;

Calls on the authorities to immediately cease repressions against peaceful protesters and to restore respect for fundamental freedoms and basic human rights, including freedom of assembly and expression;  

Urges the authorities to cease constitutional proceedings against political parties as a move to destroy Georgia’s democratic and European credentials and consolidate a one-party dictatorship;

Calls on all Member States and likeminded international partners to use relevant instruments, inter alia, Council of Europe’s GRECO and Moneyval to probe into recent high-profile cases of corruption and money-laundering in Georgia;

Refers to resolutions adopted by the European Parliament and PACE underlining that the settlement of the current political and constitutional crisis in Georgia can only be achieved by way of new parliamentary elections, in an improved electoral environment, overseen by an independent and impartial election administration and monitored through diligent international observation to guarantee a genuinely fair, free and transparent process.