“Dialogue is a cornerstone of any functional democracy,” said Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE) at the press conference summing up his visit to Georgia.

“It is a critical time for Georgia. The country is full of political tension, polarized political debates and a high level of violence. I am here for, and foremost, to support Georgia and the Georgian people. They deserve to live in a stable and democratic country. As you know Georgia has been a full and valuable member of the Council for 25 years. As the Secretary-General, I am here not to legitimize the elections, it is the competence of state institutions and involved election observer missions. With what is happening in Georgia it would be irresponsible for me as the Secretary General not to be here and not to stand with people. The current political crisis can only be resolved by standing with democratic principles, human rights and the rule of law.

The CoE Secretary General thanked everybody who agreed to meet him in Georgia for their “frank and open discussions.” He said he had met with members of the civil society, Public Defender’s Office, government, opposition and international community in Tbilisi.

“And this was the key condition for my visit to Georgia – to meet everyone. Dialogue is a cornerstone of any functional democracy,” he concluded.