PACE’s Armen Gevorgyan: One of priorities should be to support restoration of meaningful political dialogue inside Georgia

“The situation in Georgia deserves our close attention and serious consideration. We cannot remain indifferent when concerns are raised about democratic standards, political pluralism, the rule of law, or the functioning of democratic institutions in any member state. It is both the right and the responsibility of this Assembly to react,” said Armen Gevorgyan, a member of the European Conservatives, Patriots & Affiliates (ECPA) political group, during the summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

According to Armen Gevorgyan, it should be said clearly that any disproportionate or unlawful use of force against demonstrators is unacceptable in any democratic society.

“All such cases in Georgia should be the subject of an effective investigation, and those found guilty must face appropriate legal responsibility. Accountability is not a sign of institutional weakness; it is an appearance of democratic maturity. At the same time, our objective should not be limited to identifying shortcomings. Our objective should be to help create conditions for democratic progress. In this regard, I welcome a balanced approach. While clearly expressing concern and condemnation regarding recent developments in Georgia, we must also preserve the possibility of continued dialogue between the Georgian authorities and the Council of Europe. This is an important way of addressing concerns without deepening confrontation, and it encourages a return to constructive engagement. Furthermore, our responsibility does not end with expressing concern,” he said.

Gevorgyan noted that one of the priorities should be to support the restoration of meaningful political dialogue in Georgia.

“The current challenges facing the country cannot be resolved through confrontation. Sustainable solutions require communication between the government, the opposition, civil society, and democratic institutions. We can help to create the conditions in which democratic dialogue can resume, and public trust can gradually be rebuilt. Georgia needs less confrontation and more dialogue. The Council of Europe should help make that transition possible. Dear colleagues, as a representative of the region, I would say that what we are witnessing today in Georgia is also part of a broader regional challenge. Across the South Caucasus, democratic development is facing increasing pressure.

The South Caucasus is not a collection of isolated democratic experiments; what becomes acceptable in one country today may become acceptable in another tomorrow. When our organisation tolerated restrictions on political competition and disputed elections in one country of the region, they became the new norm elsewhere. We have to fight a reality where democratic institutions remain in place, but democracy itself disappears,” he said.