The Open Government Partnership (OGP) has decided to suspend Georgia’s membership, effectively excluding the country from an important international platform aimed at strengthening government transparency, accountability, and citizen participation. This information is reported by the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association.

On April 13, 2026, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) made a decision to suspend Georgia’s membership. As a result, Georgia has been removed from one of the most prestigious international platforms dedicated to improving government transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement.

What is OGP and why does it matter?

OGP brings together democratic countries and those on the path to democracy, which commit to becoming more transparent and accountable to their citizens. It is a platform where governments and civil society work together to reduce corruption, increase access to information, and strengthen public participation. For years, Georgia was considered one of the success stories in this area.

What led to the decision?

In 2023, following intensified repression by the Georgian government against civil society and the media, the OGP temporarily suspended Georgia’s membership and gave the government a deadline until the end of 2025 to implement two recommendations:

Repeal all laws that restrict the rights of civil society, media, and citizens; andProtect freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and civil society activity from physical and other types of attacks.

Instead of implementing these recommendations, the Georgian government worsened the situation: democratic backsliding continued, fundamental human rights were further restricted, and additional laws were adopted against civil society and media. Eventually, civil society organizations participating in the OGP process refused to cooperate with the Georgian Dream government in protest.

The OGP concluded that the minimum conditions necessary for open and accountable governance no longer exist in the country and permanently ended Georgia’s membership.

What does this decision mean?

This decision is a confirmation that Georgia has moved away from the democratic standards it had committed to uphold. The country has lost international trust and opportunities for democratic development.

On one hand, the Georgian Dream government is tightening control over civil society and media funding and restricting their activities under the label of “transparency.” On the other hand, it is failing to meet international standards of openness and accountability, which has led to its exclusion from an organization based precisely on those principles.

Why should Georgian citizens care?

Exclusion from OGP is not only a foreign policy issue. It directly affects the rights of every citizen—how freely people can express their opinions, how independent the media is, how transparent the state is, and how effectively society can hold the government accountable.

This decision shows that democratic institutions in the country are not functioning properly and that citizens’ voices are no longer being heard, the statement says.

The statement is signed by: Transparency International Georgia; Institute for Development of Freedom of Information; Green Alternative; Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association; Civil Society Institute.