Sabina Ćudić stated during the debate on Georgia in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) that the Georgian authorities have failed to engage in constructive dialogue with the Council of Europe.

“Unfortunately, our reports on Georgia continue at the same pace. One of the key ways to assess a country’s progress and the functioning of its democratic institutions is to analyze its cooperation with the main bodies of this organization. In this regard, the Georgian authorities have failed to engage in constructive dialogue with the Council of Europe. The space for civil society is rapidly shrinking. Attacks on civil society organizations, their leaders, and independent media must stop,” she said.

According to her, any concerns or criticism expressed by Council of Europe bodies are ignored by the authorities.

“The Georgian authorities, in particular the Secretary General of Georgian Dream, stated that it is unacceptable for people to be lectured or ‘wagged a finger at.’ This sharply contradicts what the Georgian authorities told us during our visit last year - that they would implement the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights. We remain ready for open and result-oriented dialogue with the Georgian authorities and all other political and societal actors. However, we emphasize that such dialogue is based on the shared understanding that membership in the Council of Europe is a privilege that comes with both rights and obligations. The principles and standards of the organization, as well as obligations arising from membership, cannot be called into question. Our principles must be defended and their implementation must be ensured through dialogue,” Ćudić said.