What happened?
During its fall 2023 session the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted two significant resolutions on Ukraine and Russia. The resolution adopted on October 12 recognized the Great Famine (the Holodomor) as “an act of genocide intended to break the backbone of Ukrainian nationhood, language, and culture, and commemorates its victims”. PACE called on all member states to follow suit. 73 members of the Assembly voted in favor of the resolution, one against and no abstentions.
On October 13 PACE adopted a resolution declaring Russia a dictatorship and calling on the international community to recognize Vladimir Putin’s presidency as illegitimate after his current term ends in 2024. PACE also urged its member states to cease all contact with Putin “except for humanitarian contact and in the pursuit of peace,” according to the assembly’s press service.
“The overwhelming power of the president resulting from the extremely long term in office combined with the lack of any checks and balances such as a strong parliament, an independent judiciary, free media, and a vibrant civil society has turned the Russian Federation into a de facto dictatorship,” – the parliamentarians said.
In addition, the PACE also supported the creation of an international criminal tribunal that would examine the role of the Russian authorities and Putin personally in the annexation of Crimea, the war in Donbas and the crash of the Malaysian Boeing MH17 in 2014. 43 members of the Assembly voted in favor, with none voting against or abstaining.
What was Georgian delegation’s position?
According to the Georgian Parliament, five MPs comprise the delegation of Georgia to PACE: Irakli Chikovani (GD), Tinatin Bokuchava (UNM), Ketevan Turazashvili (Citizens), Irakli Kobakhidze (GD), Eka Sepashvili (People’s Power).
From the Georgian side, however, both resolutions were supported by the only representative from Georgia Ketevan Turazashvili, from the “Citizens” political party. None of the other members, including the members of the ruling Georgian Dream party took part in the working session of PACE and Turazashvili was the only representative present from Georgia.
The absence of the Georgian Dream parliamentary representatives to PACE at the fall session of the Parliamentary Assembly, especially considering the geo-political and security environment in Europe, Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine and the potential impact of these developments on Georgia, raised question marks.
How did GD comment on its absence?
In response to these queries, Irakli Chikovani, the head of the Georgian delegation to PACE had this to say to the journalists: “We had various commitments, including the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, elections in Poland and our representatives are there, and I had other commitments that I have here… I will not prioritize our actions with you. I have explained to the public and said that during the [PACE] session, in previous years, our composition varied… When we talk and have any communication and contact with the Russian Federation, it all stems from the sole objective – to restore our territorial integrity and the situation of our fellow citizens in the occupied territories”.
When asked whether Russia was a dictatorship, Irakli Chikovani replied: “There are problems related to the full functioning of democracy in Russia”.
What does the absence mean?
According to Ketevan Turazashvili she was well aware ahead of the session that the resolution regarding the Putin regime was going to be voted upon, and this information “was most probably known to the other members of the delegation”.
Commenting on the resolution she said: “We remember Putin’s aggression ourselves, and we are witnessing the ongoing aggression against Ukraine, and of course we have to take all measures to stop this.”
In the diplomatic world, if a country does not want to take a clear position in a vote in this or that international organization, it has several options: abstain, walk out, or not send a delegation at all. In the case of the recent vote at PACE, it seems that the parliamentary majority of the GD has chosen the latter option.
However illogical or counter-intuitive the absence of the Georgian Dream may seem, given the GD government’s recent decisions aimed at rapprochement with Russia, as well as the sharp deterioration in relations with Ukraine, such a no-show does not seem all that unexpected.
And it could be argued that the absence of GD representatives in Strasbourg sends a message that is hard to miss and therefore represents a position in itself.
PACE comprises representatives from 46 European states, including countries that are not members of the European Union. The Council of Europe excluded Russia in accordance with the Article 8 of the Statute of the Council of Europe for serious violations of the Statute, after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
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