CoE Sec Gen “strongly deplores” Georgian Parliament’s decision to overrule President’s veto on transparency law

Marija Pejčinović Burić, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, on Tuesday “strongly deplored” today’s decision of the Parliament of Georgia to overrule President Salome Zourabichvili’s veto and proceed with the final endorsement of the law on transparency of foreign influence “in its current form, despite criticism by international partners as to its incompatibility with European standards”.

In her statement, Burić stressed that “by taking this step” the Georgian authorities “regrettably gave up an ultimate occasion” to withdraw the bill and refused to engage in “meaningful dialogue, disregarding the unequivocal recommendations by the Venice Commission, whose authoritative legal opinions reflect our democratic standards”.

Hence, I am deeply concerned as to the law’s adverse impact on informed public debate, pluralism, and democratic checks and balances, which could potentially jeopardise also the environment for free and fair elections”, she added.

The Secretary-General also expressed worry about the “apparent impunity” for reported acts of “intimidation, disproportional use of force and stigmatising narratives against civil society organisations, civil activists and peaceful protestors” and called on the authorities to investigate these facts “without delay”.

She affirmed the CoE would remain “fully supportive” of the Georgian people’s European aspirations.