Georgia should submit the judicial reform to the Venice Commission for a second opinion in order to adopt a broader reform of the judicial system, especially regarding the High Council of Justice and finally appoint the remaining non-judge members of the High Council of Justice, European Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi said.

According to him, the Georgian government should also ensure the independent functioning of the anti-corruption bureau and should renew the constructive dialogue with the civil society.

"Also, we have to talk about the fight against corruption, in order to fully implement this point, the Georgian side must ensure that the anti-corruption bureau works independently and that the Venice Commission is consulted about the draft law. We also ask Georgia to reconsider its decision to withdraw from the anti-corruption network of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

As for the fight against organized crime, Georgia has advanced its cooperation with Europol and member states. Now Georgia must meet all the recommendations of the European Commission guidelines.

Regarding the protection of the rights of vulnerable groups, Georgia should ensure that the human rights strategy action plan is prepared in an inclusive manner and should ensure the right of assembly and protection of members of the LGBTQI group.

Also, as for ensuring the participation of civil organizations in the decision-making process, Georgia should renew the constructive dialogue with the civil society and introduce regular and transparent consultations," said Oliver Varhelyi.

*The quotes in the article have been double-translated from Georgian and wordings may be inaccurate.