The Tbilisi City Council delegation, led by Council Chairman and Vice-President of the National Association of Local Authorities, Giorgi Tkemaladze, is participating in a meeting of the Monitoring Committee of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.

Zurab Abashidze, Deputy Chairman of Tbilisi City Council, and Otar Grigolia, Chairman of the faction Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia accompanyGiorgi Tkemaladze in Strasbourg.

According to the Tbilisi City Council press service, the Georgian delegation has addressed a letter to the Bureau of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, expressing concern regarding recent statements by the Bureau about postponing elections and calling for closer cooperation with the opposition.

As stated in the letter from the Tbilisi City Council delegation, despite Georgia’s appreciation for cooperation with the Council of Europe and the Congress, the tone and content of the statement are concerning.

“During our meeting with the Bureau delegation of the Council of Europe Congress, we conducted an open and transparent discussion about recent developments in Georgia, including the upcoming local government elections. We believed that we had reached a mutual understanding on this issue.

For this reason, we were surprised by the Bureau’s subsequent call for postponing elections and establishing closer cooperation with the opposition. It appears that the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe is questioning Georgia’s sovereignty and independence. As a sovereign nation, Georgia is committed to defending its constitutional framework, which ensures our country’s stability and democratization.

The Bureau’s call to postpone elections goes beyond the frameworks defined by the modern civilized world and, generally, by legislation. An official body is urging a sovereign country to act per foreign recommendations rather than its own constitution. We believe that such recommendations should align with the constitutional processes of member countries,” the statement from the Tbilisi City Council reads.

In addition to the local government elections, the letter from the Tbilisi City Council delegation addresses the ongoing protests in Tbilisi. As noted in the letter, the protest was not peaceful and included violent actions against state institutions, law enforcement officers, and public infrastructure. The letter also states that during the demonstrations, so-called Molotov cocktails and pyrotechnics were used, which directly threatened Georgia’s constitutional order and the safety of its citizens.

“We are deeply concerned about the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe referring to violent groups as ‘peaceful demonstrators.’ Such a description is not only inaccurate but also misleading. More than 150 police officers were injured during the protests. The destruction of infrastructure and disruption of emergency services also endangered the safety of ordinary citizens. We believe that the Bureau recognizes the importance of maintaining public order and the rule of law,” the statement reads.

The letter also addresses the reorganization of the public sector, stating that public servants in Georgia enjoy complete freedom of expression and decision-making, and many of them continue their professional careers despite holding critical views toward the government.

“We sincerely hope that the Congress will reconsider its current attitudes and approaches, allowing us to return to a path of healthy, mutually beneficial cooperation, where Georgia is an active contributor and the Congress continues to present valuable international experience. We are open to further discussions and ready to continue our partnership based on mutual respect,” the statement from the Tbilisi City Council concludes.