Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE), Alain Berset released the information about the phone conversation he held with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on February 3.

According to the statement published on the CoE website, Alain Berset spoke with Irakli Kobakhidze to discuss the status of the joint working group aimed at amending the so-called ‘foreign influence’ law.

The decision to set up the group had been taken by mutual agreement during the Secretary General’s visit to Tbilisi on 20 December 2024. On 20 January, the Secretariat sent a letter formally requesting the establishment of the working group. This request went unanswered.

“During Monday’s telephone conversation, the Prime Minister stated that ‘due to changed circumstances,’ his government was no longer willing to participate in a joint working group or to amend the ‘foreign influence’ law as previously discussed. However, he reaffirmed Georgia’s commitment to continue working with the Council of Europe in the framework of intergovernmental co-operation.

The Secretary General noted with great regret the decision of the Georgian authorities. He also reiterated his concern about the state of the rule of law and human rights in Georgia, as well as the polarisation of its political landscape. The task is now to assess the impact of the new situation created by the Government’s change of course. Dialogue with the Georgian authorities is ongoing.

The Council of Europe’s role is to vigorously uphold the principles of democracy, the rule of law and human rights. To this end, several Council of Europe bodies have carried out visits to Georgia since the Secretary General’s visit, including the PACE co-rapporteurs, the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), the Commissioner for Human Rights and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities,” reads the statement.