Freedom House: Georgia most free in region
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Georgia remains ‘partly free’ in the latest report by independent watchdog Freedom House.
The United States (US)-based organisation released its annual Freedom in the World Report for 2016, called "Populists and Autocrats: The Dual Threat to Global Democracy,” in which it examined the condition of global political rights and civil liberties of 195 countries.
Out of these countries, 87 (45 percent) were ranked ‘free,’ 59 (30 percent) as ‘partly free’ and 49 (25 percent) as ‘not free.’
Georgia was ranked among the 59 'partly free' countries. Its score was 64 on a scale of 1 to 100. In addition, on a seven-point scale of the freedom rating, where one point meant the most free and seven points meant the least free, Georgia ranked three points for the third time in a row.
Georgia was mentioned in the context of and compared to other post-Soviet states.
It read, "Eurasia was divided between a more European-oriented fringe and a core of rigid autocracies in 2016. While Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova struggled to build on fragile democratic gains, several leaders to the east took steps to shore up their power in the face of economic and political uncertainty”.
Freedom House Senior Vice President for Research Arch Puddington said that in comparison to its neighbours and other Eurasian states, the level of freedom in Georgia was commendable.
"Many experts used to think that after Georgian Dream came into power, events would develop in the wrong direction, but this never happened. I think the level of freedom has even improved slightly since then. We aren’t dissatisfied with the democratic society in Georgia in this challenging region”, Puddington said.
The bigger picture
Freedom House stated the overall overview of the political situation in the world was quite negative.
"With populist and nationalist forces making significant gains in democratic states, 2016 marked the 11th consecutive year of decline in global freedom”, the organisation said.
"There were setbacks in political rights, civil liberties, or both, in a number of countries rated "free” by the report, including Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Hungary, Poland, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Tunisia and the United States”.
The Middle East and North Africa region had the worst ratings in the world in 2016, followed closely by Eurasia.
Georgia’s overall democracy score was 4.61 and was classified as "Transitional Government” or "Hybrid Regime”. In last year’s report the country’s democracy score was 4.64, which meant Georgia has improved its score by 0.03 in the past 12 months.
Georgia is one of only two countries to register improvements in the level of democracy in Eurasia in 2014, says independent watchdog Freedom House.
Georgia remains ‘partially free’ in the latest report by independent watchdog Freedom House.
Freedom of the press in Georgia is improving, according to a report by international organisation Reporters without Borders.
Independent watchdog Freedom House has released a report assessing the level of democracy in 29 countries across Central Europe and Eurasia today.
Georgia has been listed among the low-risk countries on the ‘Bloomberg Risks Map’.
Georgia has the most free media environment in the Caucasus region based on the newest report released by leading international watchdog Freedom House earlier today.
Freedom House has released its Freedom on the Net 2017 index, in which Georgia has improved its position with one point.
Georgia was ranked among the 59 'partly free' countries. Its score was again 64 on a scale of 1 to 100. In addition, on a seven-point scale of the freedom rating, where one point meant the most free and seven points meant the least free, Georgia ranked three points for the fourth time in a row.
The report says that in 2019 and in early 2020, politicians have undermined judicial independence and the rule of law in all of the subregions covered by Nations in Transit, resulting in score declines in the Czech Republic, Georgia, Latvia, Montenegro, Poland, and Slovakia