The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will discuss a report on Georgia on Wednesday during its summer plenary session, according to information published on the Assembly’s official website.

The report, titled “The functioning of democratic institutions in Georgia”, was prepared by rapporteurs Edite Estrela (Portugal, SOC) and Sabina Ćudić (Bosnia and Herzegovina, ALDE).

The draft resolution accompanying the report states that democratic backsliding in Georgia is ongoing, along with continued pressure against civil society, political opposition, and dissenting voices. According to the document, none of the Assembly’s urgent recommendations have been implemented.

“The persistent failure of democracy in Georgia and the lack of follow-up on the Assembly’s recommendations raise serious doubts about the authorities’ willingness to fulfil their obligations as a member of the Council of Europe,” the draft says.

At the same time, the resolution stresses that the Assembly remains committed to open and results-oriented dialogue with the Georgian authorities as well as all other political and social forces in the country.

The draft further states that the initiative to ban virtually all democratic opposition parties in Georgia and to prosecute their leaders on politically motivated and fabricated charges is unacceptable.

“The continuation of this path would effectively establish a one-party dictatorship in Georgia, which violates the fundamental principles of democracy and is incompatible with Council of Europe membership,” the document reads. It calls on the Georgian authorities to immediately withdraw their application to the Constitutional Court seeking to ban democratic opposition parties and to end what it describes as unjust and politically motivated criminal prosecutions of their leaders.

The report also says that, due to the “relentless suppression” of the democratic opposition, civil society, and independent media, as well as extreme social and political polarization, there are currently no conditions in Georgia for genuinely democratic elections.

Accordingly, the Assembly calls on the authorities to launch an open and inclusive political process involving all political forces and civil stakeholders to restore a genuinely free and democratic political environment.

It further states that restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly, including through repressive legislation and politically motivated prosecutions, must end immediately.

The draft resolution also condemns what it describes as politically motivated and disproportionate sentences against opposition leaders and others, including Nika Melia and Elene Khoshtaria, based on what it calls fabricated charges. It calls for the repeal of recently adopted repressive laws and amendments, including changes to the Criminal Code and laws on political associations and administrative offences, and recommends drafting a new administrative offences code in consultation with the Council of Europe.

The Assembly emphasizes that a dynamic and pluralistic civil society is essential for democracy and expresses concern over the shrinking space for civil society organizations, independent media, and opposition actors.

It also calls for the repeal of legislation such as the “Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence” and the “Foreign Agents Registration Law (GEOFARA),” along with recent amendments to the law on grants, in line with recommendations of the Venice Commission.

The report raises concerns about the impact of recent education reforms on academic freedom and calls for safeguards to ensure university independence. It also urges the creation of a transparent and independent mechanism to manage university asset privatization linked to reforms.

The Assembly expresses regret over the lack of credible investigations into alleged police brutality and human rights violations during protests, including allegations of torture and ill-treatment during detention. It also highlights concerns about the alleged use of prohibited chemical substances during the dispersal of protests in Tbilisi, calling for an urgent, independent, and effective investigation.

Finally, the Assembly urges Georgia to fully implement judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, including cases such as Tsava and Others v. Georgia, Mekvabishvili v. Georgia, and Makharashvili and Others v. Georgia, along with dozens of other pending rulings.

It also references findings from an OSCE Moscow Mechanism expert report, which it says align with previous conclusions on democratic backsliding in Georgia, and calls for full implementation of its recommendations.