Council of Europe and Georgia launch three-year Action Plan

The Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia in 2013-2015 was officially presented at the Ministry of Foreign Affair of Georgia today, February 6.

The Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia outlines:

• The protection of human rights
• The judicial independence

• The effectiveness of the penitentiary system and police reforms
• Freedom of media and expression
• Free and fair elections
• Good governance
• The local democracy, tolerance and anti-discrimination policies and recovery mechanisms of trust

The projects will be implemented by the local partners of the Council of Europe, including the Ministries, Public Defender’s Office, Parliament and juridical authority.

The Action Plan for Georgia includes 34 projects and has a total budget of €17 million EURO.

The official presentation of the Action Plan was attended by Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland, Georgia’s Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze and Minister of Justice Tea Tsulukiani.

The main topics of the visit are Georgia’s relations with the Council of Europe, ongoing reforms and the launch of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia.

Following the presentation, Panjikidze and Jagland held a joint press conference, where the Secretary General of the Council of Europe stressed that the main challenge of the country remained with the independence of the juridical system.

"The Council of Europe observes the trials of the former government officials and I believe that processes will be held in the framework of the European Convention on Human Rights, as well the rule of low must be protected,” Jagland said.

"Georgia as the part of Europe and European country completely shares the common European values, the human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Several amendments are planned in the local laws in order to closer the European human rights laws, Panjikidze said.

Since 1999, Georgia has signed and ratified 69 Council of Europe Conventions, including the most important ones in the fields of human rights. Georgia is a member of 7 Partial Agreements, including the European Commission for Democracy through Law, better known as the Venice Commission.

"The country has made serious efforts to translate Council of Europe standards in many areas into national legislation. It carried out important reforms. And it is committed to continue with reforms. The Action Plan is designed precisely in order to translate this will into reality," Secretary General of the Council of Europe said at the launching event of the Action Plan.

Later, Jagland met the prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili.