A forum on “Green Finance and Sustainable Development” is being held in Baku, Azernews reports.
Day: October 18, 2024
Council of Europe Congress Declaration on Georgia
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has adopted a critical declaration regarding Georgia.
The declaration criticizes the current democratic processes in the country and highlights challenges related to strengthening local self-government, democracy, and the rule of law.
The document states that problems have emerged in the functioning of Georgia’s democratic institutions, violating European standards. These issues particularly concern the work of the independent judiciary, the improvement of the electoral system, and media freedom. The criticism also addressed the increasing pressure from the government on the non-governmental sector, civil society, and media.
The declaration reiterated the need for Georgia to fulfill its commitments if the country intends to continue its integration into Euro-Atlantic structures.
Declaration of the Congress
1.The Congress expresses deep concern about the democratic regression and the weakening of human rights in Georgia, manifested in increased societal polarization and the adoption of legislative acts that contradict the standards of the Council of Europe. These developments were condemned by the President of the European Congress, including in connection with the introduction of a package of laws on the transparency of foreign influence and anti-LGBT legislation, as well as by other bodies of the Council of Europe and the international community.
2.Moreover, the Monitoring Committee of the Congress, in its statement of July 2, 2024, noted Georgia’s retreat from democratic norms and standards, exacerbated by attacks, intimidation, and various forms of pressure on people expressing alternative opinions.
3.As a result, there is growing concern about the Georgian government’s commitment to upholding European democratic principles and moving forward toward a European future based on shared values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law at all levels of governance.
4. In this context, considering the upcoming parliamentary elections on October 26 and the local elections in 2025, it becomes even more important to create conditions that allow all citizens to participate in society without discrimination, as well as to contribute to the political life of the state at all levels of government peacefully and on equal terms.
5.The Congress emphasizes that local authorities are the voice of citizens on both local and national matters, and their right to self-governance must be guaranteed without fear of persecution or retaliation, regardless of the political views of their leaders and representatives.
6.The Congress reiterates the necessity of effective protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including non-discrimination and freedom of assembly. Local authorities should not find themselves in a position where they are legally obligated to violate human rights and fundamental freedoms or enforce anti-democratic policies, which harm inclusivity, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence in society.
7.Based on the above, the Congress once again calls on the Georgian authorities to repeal the inhumane legislation and refrain from actions that further deepen societal polarization, threaten political pluralism, violate human rights, or undermine the foundations of democracy, which would be detrimental to local self-governance in Georgia. Georgia must return to the path of democratic consolidation and recommit to protecting democratic principles and human rights.
8.The Congress emphasizes its commitment to continuing a constructive political dialogue with the Georgian authorities, particularly within the framework of a high-profile visit to Georgia that the Congress plans to organize following the formation of the new government after the parliamentary elections.
9.The Congress will continue to support criticism of the Georgian government at all levels, working with civil society to protect human rights, ensure the rule of law, and promote democracy at the level closest to the citizens.
10. The Georgian authorities must fulfill the obligations outlined in the Reykjavik Declaration, adopted at the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe. Otherwise, Georgia may be held accountable by the bodies of the Council of Europe.
In the Media Development Agency, a training session was organized in order to increase the theoretical knowledge of employees on the creation of an anti-corruption behavior model and the formation of an anti-corruption culture, as well as to increase awareness of the prevention and elimination of the consequences of conflicts of interest, and the measures of responsibility for corruption-related offenses.
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The Daily Beat: 17 October
On October 17, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reiterated Russia’s readiness to help Georgia “normalize relations” with Russian-occupied Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region. She also praised the current Georgian Dream government’s willingness to apologize to Tskhinvali and spoke of Western attempts to open a “second front” in Georgia.
EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell commented on the importance of the upcoming elections in Georgia before the European Council meeting, emphasizing that the country’s future is at stake. “In Georgia, there is a clear democratic backsliding. The next elections will be the moment of truth and the Georgian people will have to decide which way they want to go: towards Europe or getting apart from Europe,” Borell told journalists.
The U.S. Helsinki Commission issued a statement on the upcoming elections in Georgia, calling on the Georgian authorities to “honor their obligations to their country and citizens by holding free and fair elections.” “The government’s authoritarian trajectory imperils Georgia’s democratic future and its people’s deep-seated Euro-Atlantic aspirations,” the statement also reads.
The fight against the Russian-style Foreign Agents Law continues in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) after the country’s Constitutional Court refused to suspend it. 16 media organizations, 120 civil society organizations, and four individuals plan to file a joint complaint with the ECHR, as Nona Kurdovanidze, the Director of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), announced during a briefing.
In an interview with the leading American newspaper POLITICO, President Salome Zurabishvili claimed that the ruling party’s patron, Bidzina Ivanishvili, may still have ties to Moscow or that they have grown closer. In an interview, she also spoke of the risks of the country’s isolation, the Russian threat, and the “existential” importance of the upcoming elections.
On October 17, the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities adopted a declaration “The situation in Georgia,” expressing deep concern about Georgia’s democratic backsliding and the weakening of human rights in the country, mentioning the anti-democratic Foreign Agents Law and anti-LGBTI legislation. The declaration was adopted with 76 votes in favor, 10 against, and 6 abstentions.
On 16 October, the National Bank of Georgia (NBG) sold USD 64.9 million out of the USD 70 million in an attempt to support the national currency, the Lari (GEL). According to NBG, large, one-time transactions continue to influence the foreign exchange market, impacting Lari’s exchange rate, and fluctuations in the foreign exchange market are not linked to macroeconomic factors. One week ago, the NBG sold $48.5 million in an effort to support the national currency.
