Tbilisi (GBC) – Fifty-one members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) have issued a written declaration named “Authoritarian backsliding in Georgia.”
The declaration warns that, should Georgia fail to make progress in reversing its authoritarian trajectory, the members will consider challenging the credentials of the Georgian delegation.
“On 29 January 2025, the Parliamentary Assembly adopted Resolution 2585 (2025) ratifying the credentials of the Georgian delegation on the condition that Georgia meets democratic benchmarks by April 2025, including the release of political prisoners and the announcement of new parliamentary elections under improved electoral conditions.
Instead, the situation has worsened dramatically. Senior opposition leaders have been imprisoned. Civil society activists and journalists face politically motivated criminal prosecution. This is no longer a series of isolated incidents but a sustained campaign to eliminate democratic opposition, restrict freedom of expression and silence civil society. Furthermore, the Georgian delegation has unilaterally withdrawn from the Assembly.
This path of repression and disengagement violates Georgia’s obligations as a Council of Europe member and defies the Assembly’s authority. The Assembly must uphold its rules and resolutions. Ignoring authoritarian backsliding within a member State undermines the very foundation of this institution.
If Georgia makes no progress in reversing its authoritarian course, we will challenge the credentials of the Georgian delegation on substantive grounds and call for the Assembly and the Committee of Ministers to begin the expulsion process of Georgia for serious violations of the basic principles of the Council of Europe mentioned in Article 3 of its Statute,” the declaration reads.