Parties that crossed the electoral threshold have issued a joint statement regarding the visit of Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, to Tbilisi.

The statement describes the visit and the summary statement as “irresponsible and inconsistent with the spirit of the Council of Europe.”

“The visit of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, to Georgia on December 18-20 occurred amidst a severe systemic political crisis. This crisis stems from the Georgian Dream’s alleged usurpation of power through election fraud, the collapse of democratic institutions, and deliberate sabotage of Georgia’s European integration. In response to continuous peaceful protests, the authorities have systematically violated fundamental human rights, including the prohibition of torture. Hundreds of citizens have been physically abused, illegally detained, and subjected to intimidation and violence by informal criminal groups aligned with the regime. Furthermore, the illegitimate Georgian Parliament hastily adopted legislative amendments cementing an authoritarian dictatorship and bolstering the mechanisms of a repressive regime.
While the Secretary General emphasized in his concluding press conference that his visit was not intended to legitimize the disputed elections, which is crucial in countering Georgian Dream’s Russian-backed propaganda, we find his overall approach irresponsible. The content of the final statement failed to reflect the gravity of Georgia’s current situation and appeared detached from the Council of Europe’s principles and values. Moreover, Alain Berset’s statements at the press conference risk exacerbating the crisis by indirectly enabling Georgian Dream’s authoritarian actions and failing to advocate effectively for a resolution,” the statement reads.

The opposition asserts that discussing any legislative changes to the so-called Russian law is unacceptable and inappropriate.

“In the current critical situation, any discussion of legislative changes to the so-called Russian law, efforts to ‘improve’ it, or the creation of a working group for this purpose under an illegitimate parliament and government is completely unacceptable. This law, along with other anti-democratic and anti-European legislation enacted by the Georgian Dream, should not be amended but repealed immediately after a change in government. The Secretary General has been thoroughly briefed on these issues during meetings with political parties. However, he has made statements that are irresponsible and lack context, raising serious questions about his integrity.

We, the political parties and coalitions of Georgia, reaffirm our deep respect for the Council of Europe and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, fully embracing their core values: the protection of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. We are ready to cooperate with these institutions to uphold these principles, including in addressing the current crisis. This cooperation should prioritize the unconditional release of all unlawfully detained individuals and ensure that new elections are held in a fair and competitive environment.

We urge the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Committee of Ministers to address the integrity of Alain Berset’s actions during his visit to Georgia and assess their compliance with the Council of Europe’s founding principles in the public debate scheduled for January,” reads the statement, signed by Unity – National Movement, Coalition for Changes, Strong Georgia and Gakharia – For Georgia.