Georgian PM: Georgia one of “prominent examples” of democracy
The PM also said the ruling party had adopted the first human rights strategy that involved work by EU Special Representative to Georgia Thomas Hammarberg, noting the situation in Georgia with regards to human rights and media freedom were “guaranteed and radically improved”. Photo: Government's Administration.
Tweet 
Share
Georgia has become one of the prominent examples of democracy, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Friday, while pointing to the reduction of complaints involving the country at the European Court of Human Rights.
Speaking at a joint press briefing with the Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, Garibashvili said the reduction of cases from Georgia proved the “impressive progress” the country had achieved in human rights protection, in response to a question from media.
The head of the Georgian Government said the ECHR had been dealing with “over 4,000 and 5,000 cases” against Georgia when the Georgian Dream party took over as the Government a decade ago, with the number down to the current 150.
"We have changed the situation dramatically in the last ten years. We actually took over an authoritarian, dictatorial regime [of the United National Movement party], and today Georgia has become one of the prominent examples of democracy”, he told the briefing.
“[W]e can say proudly and boldly that we are a truly outstanding country not only among the countries of the Eastern Partnership, but also within the framework of the Associated Trio countries [of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine], and we have really impressive progress in comparison to many European countries as well”, Garibashvili said.
The PM also said the ruling party had adopted the first human rights strategy that involved work by EU Special Representative to Georgia Thomas Hammarberg, noting the situation in Georgia with regards to human rights and media freedom were “guaranteed and radically improved”.
Garibashvili also highlighted the latter point by saying new TV channels in the country could be launched “within 10 days” and “no barriers” were created in the process by the Government. He also added Georgia had a “very strong” civil society, opposition parties, and opposition-minded media.
He also responded to the demonstrations held in capital Tbilisi over the recent days, saying rallies were a “characteristic of any democracy” but noting his Government was “stable, solid, strong and continues to move Georgia forward”.
The European Court of Human Rights has declared inadmissible 370 individual complaints filed against Georgia by residents of the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region in connection to the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, Rati Bregadze, the Georgian Justice Minister, said at a briefing on Thursday.
Prospects of deepening the existing cooperation between Georgia and the European Court of Human Rights were discussed on Wednesday by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and ECHR President Robert Spano.
Georgia’s Human Rights Action Plan has been described by European Union Special Representative and Human Rights Adviser Thomas Hammarberg as "exemplary”.
The European Council’s decision on granting the European perspective to Georgia is a “recognition of the progress” achieved by the country over the years, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Friday at a joint briefing with Karl Nehammer, the Federal Chancellor of Austria.
Strengthening cooperation between the parliaments of Austria and Georgia and deepening relations between the two countries were discussed on Friday between the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Wolfgang Sobotka, the President of the National Council of Austria.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday reviewed his Government's cooperation with the United States-based National Endowment for Democracy foundation and Georgia’s “strategic partnership” with the US in a meeting with NED Chair Kenneth Wollack.