6. In this respect, the Assembly asks the Georgian authorities to take into account the recommendationsto be made by the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) in its urgentOpinion on the Law on Administrative Offenses, requested by the President of the Assembly. Likewise, theAssembly reiterates its call on the authorities to repeal the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence in itscurrent form, to protect freedom of assembly and expression and to ensure accountability for human rightsviolations and end stigmatisation of NGOs, as highlighted also by the Council of Europe Commissioner forHuman Rights during his visit to Georgia in January 2025.

7. In the Assembly’s view, Georgia’s political deadlock and breach of trust between the authorities andcivil society can be overcome only through:

7.1. a clear recommitment of the Georgian authorities to Council of Europe values and standards and further European integration in line with the European aspirations of the majority of the Georgian people;

7.2. a reinforced process of engagement with the Council of Europe, involving the Georgian authorities as well as a wide range of other Georgian stakeholders;

7.3. an inclusive political process in Georgia involving all stakeholders and social actors, including opposition and civil society, to urgently address the deficiencies and shortcomings noted during the recent parliamentary elections;

7.4. the organisation of new genuinely democratic parliamentary elections, held under strict international monitoring and conditions of political independence of State institutions and election administration;

7.5. ensuring accountability for all law enforcement officials involved in violent crackdowns against peaceful protesters, beatings, mistreatment, torture and arbitrary arrest;

7.6. the release of all political prisoners.

8. In this regard, the Assembly recalls the visit which the Secretary General of the Council of Europecarried out in Tbilisi in December 2024, following which a number of initiatives were launched.

9. Similarly, the Assembly recalls that its co-rapporteurs of the Committee on the Honouring of Obligationsand Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) visited Georgia inJanuary 2025, and met interlocutors from the Georgian institutions, as well as all political forces, NGOs andcivil society.

10. Developments since the 26 October 2024 parliamentary elections, including violations of the freedom ofassembly and expression and the crackdown on the opposition and civil society, are in contradiction toGeorgia's membership obligations and accession commitments to the Council of Europe. The Assemblytherefore needs clear assurances from the authorities that they are genuinely committed to reversing thedemocratic backsliding and fulfilling their membership obligations.

11. In the light of these considerations and as a signal of its own openness to maintaining dialogue, theAssembly, pending a reconsideration of the Georgian delegation’s credentials and an overall re-assessmentof the situation in the country at its April 2025 part-session, decides to ratify at this part-session the credentialsof the Georgian delegation while, at the same time, insisting that the Georgian authorities:

11.1. immediately initiate an inclusive process involving all stakeholders and social actors, including the ruling majority, opposition and civil society, to urgently address the deficiencies and shortcomings noted during the recent parliamentary elections and to create an electoral environment that is conducive to genuinely democratic new parliamentary elections to be announced during the coming months;

11.2. take immediate and effective steps to enable Georgia to resume the European integration process, in line with the European aspirations of the people, and to accelerate with determination the necessary reforms;

11.3. put an immediate end to police brutality and human rights abuses, effectively investigate these practices and end the misuse of legal proceedings as a means of deterring or retaliating against protesters, journalists and civic leaders, and fully respect the right to freedom of expression and assembly;

11.4. step up co-operation with the Council of Europe and engage in good faith in the process initiated by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe;

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