Following a discussion at today’s meeting of the Bureau of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Bernd Vöhringer (Germany, EPP/CCE) and Stewart Dickson (United Kingdom, ILDG), Congress co-Rapporteurs on the situation of local democracy in Georgia, have made the following statement:
“We firmly condemn the decision by members of the Georgian Parliament to appeal to the Constitutional Court to ban three key opposition forces in the country.
“Democracy at all levels of government cannot exist without political pluralism and effective opposition. We are alarmed that the foundations of Georgian democracy are being progressively dismantled.
“We regret that the Georgian authorities have ignored repeated calls from the Congress and other Council of Europe bodies, including the Human Rights Commissioner and the Parliamentary Assembly, and urge them to reverse these actions.
“The Congress remains committed to supporting Georgia, in any way possible, in fulfilling its obligations as a member state of the Council of Europe in safeguarding democracy, human rights and the rule of law at local level.”
Contact: Congress Communication Unit
***
