The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) welcomes the progress made by Georgia in honouring its obligations and commitments and encourages all political forces to address the remaining recommendations, reads the resolution adopted by the Assembly’s Monitoring Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by the CoE Member States.

The Committee submitted the report on monitoring the progress for the December 2022 and January 2023 period in Strasbourg on the fulfilment of the 12-point recommendations for EU candidate status.

“The Assembly welcomes the progress made by Georgia in honouring its obligations and commitments and encourages all political forces to address the remaining recommendations and concerns expressed in this resolution.

In that respect, it remains concerned about the extreme political polarisation in the country, which affects the reforms and stakeholder participation in the reforms needed for further democratic consolidation and Euro-Atlantic integration of the country.

The Assembly urges the authorities to implement a thorough, independent evaluation of its reforms of the judiciary with a view to guiding future reforms to ensure a genuine, independent judiciary in the country.

It takes note of recent developments with regard to the media and concerns expressed in that regard. It encourages the authorities to take all possible steps to reduce the tensions in the media environment.

The Assembly reiterates its full support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and its concern and condemnation of the illegal occupation and creeping annexation by the Russian Federation of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia.

It encourages the authorities to address the 12 recommendations of the European Union so that it can be given the candidate status for European Union membership that it rightfully aspires to,” reads the resolution.