As delivered

Minister Zalkaliani,

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to launch the 3rd Action Plan that the Council of Europe and Georgia have developed together.

This model is a successful one.

Our joint Action Plans aim both to support domestic reforms and enable better compliance with Georgia’s international obligations.

Given that we share the same values and standards, they are also in line with the objectives of your Association Agreement with the European Union.

Our previous Action Plan has contributed to significant and positive steps in Georgia over recent years:

Your Constitution has been revised, completing your transition from a Presidential to a Parliamentary system;

The ground was cleared for your 2017 ratification of the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence: Georgia being the first country in the region to take this positive step;

And healthcare standards in your prisons have improved considerably – an important human rights issue that often goes largely unnoticed.

These are just some highlights from a list that also includes welcome progress on judicial reform and specific steps to counter money laundering.

That Action Plan was implemented through the Council of Europe Tbilisi Office but also benefitted from the experience and knowledge of Strasbourg-based colleagues and, crucially, the close co-operation between our Organisation and the Georgian authorities.

The new Action Plan will follow the same path, being inclusive, positive and ambitious in its approach.

On human rights, it will help to further ensure the domestic application of the European Convention on Human Rights and other common standards, countering discrimination among other things;

With regard to democracy, it seeks to strengthen local government and citizen participation;

And when it comes to the rule of law, carrying out the measures contained in this document will enhance the accountability of the judicial system, support criminal justice and penitentiary reforms and go further in combatting violence against women and domestic violence;

Confidence Building Measures are also an important dimension of our co-operation and, as always, our projects are based on the recommendations of Council of Europe monitoring and advisory bodies.

We did not discuss the parameters of the Action Plan, and we do not need to:

Because these are defined by the commitments Georgia has made with respect to the values and standards of the Council of Europe, and from which citizens in this country benefit.

It is also right to point out that much of this work is covered by extra-budgetary contributions.

I am therefore particularly grateful to member states and to the European Union who, altogether, contributed nearly eighteen million euros to the previous Action Plan.

Today, I appeal to their generosity once again.

Because we need another seventeen and a half million euros to support Georgia in achieving the agreed objectives for the years ahead.

At the moment, around 25% of that budget is already covered through contributions from the EU, Denmark and the Council of Europe’s Human Rights Trust Fund.

Certainly, we appreciate that support.

The EU remains the largest single contributor to our Georgia Action Plan and is the Council of Europe’s most important partner organisation.

And the Partnership for Good Governance expresses the shared objective of the Council of Europe and the European Union to support the Eastern Partnership region and the countries concerned - with this programme serving as a powerful and practical example of our joint political intent.

But I hope that other Council of Europe member states will also come forward and make further voluntary contributions, assisting Georgia to take the next steps.

Minister, this launch takes place in the context of my visit here, where we are discussing Georgia’s forthcoming Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers.

Taken as a whole, what we see then is that Georgia has not only committed to the values that come with membership of the Council of Europe:

Human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

But also, that you are ready to put further effect to these at home, whilst simultaneously promoting them across Europe as a whole.

I wish everyone the best for the implementation of this joint Action Plan and for a successful Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers.

And I look forward to working with you on both.