“The decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, which confirm Russia’s responsibility for human rights violations in the occupied regions, should not be ignored. We must not stop using international mechanisms to respond to these violations,” Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili stated during her address at the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Botchorishvili stressed that Georgia continues to seek ways for the peaceful conflict resolution, and the support of the international community is of great importance in this process.

“Mr. Secretary General, dear colleagues, first, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Luxembourg’s Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers and dear Xavier for the excellent hospitality.

Dear colleagues, in these turbulent times, ensuring security and stability is the main challenge for our region. Violations of international norms and principles create serious security problems, and accordingly, our main goal should be to protect these principles and fight for peace.

Georgia has experienced Russia’s aggression firsthand and its devastating consequences. We know well what war brings and the importance of peace and stability for the development of our country and the entire region.

With Georgia’s regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali remaining occupied, we remain committed to pursuing peaceful solutions to the Russia-Georgia conflict. We highly value the support of the international community in this ongoing effort.

The decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, which confirm Russia’s responsibility for human rights violations in the occupied regions, should not be ignored. We must not stop using international mechanisms to respond to these violations,” stated Maka Botchorishvili.

Additionally, Botchorishvili noted that when discussing democracy, the main priority should be the protection of democratic institutions.

“Dear colleagues, our common values are the foundation that unites us in this organisation. We welcome the Secretary General’s initiative “Towards A New Democratic Pact for Europe,” which could become an important framework for all the Council of Europe’s member states.

When discussing democracy, the main priority should be the protection of democratic institutions. It is essential to respect the people’s choice, democratically elected governments, and refrain from encouraging the transfer of political processes beyond democratic institutions.

Despite serious security challenges, over the past decade, particularly as a result of reforms implemented in the European integration process, Georgia has managed to establish a leading position in the region in various directions: we have strengthened the rule of law, established high standards for human rights protection, and created effective mechanisms against corruption.

All this is reflected in international ratings and confirmed by the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights.

Despite this evident progress, the unfair treatment and double standards that we face from our partners cause concern and damage trust. International institutions should encourage constructive cooperation based on mutual respect and should prevent their use as political weapons.

In conclusion, I would like to express my support for Malta’s upcoming chairmanship and wish them success in this important mission,” stated Maka Botchorishvili.