Georgian PM: CoE Sec-Gen’s visit “strong expression of support” for country, people

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday said the ongoing visit of Alain Berset, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, was demonstrating a “strong support” for both the country and its people. 

We had very interesting and productive discussions with the Secretary General”, the PM said during a press briefing, referring to “high-level talks” with Berset this week.

The official said he had briefed the visiting official on the current situation in the country, particularly addressing ongoing protests against his Government's decision last month not to include European Union accession talks in its agenda until 2028. 

Kobakhidze assured the CoE Secretary General the protests had “turned peaceful over the past several days”, eliminating the need for police intervention. 
The PM said he had also updated the official on the administrative detention of individuals involved in “violent acts” during the protests. 

We explained that the maximum term of administrative detention in Georgia is 15 days, and by the end of the month, these individuals will be fully released”, he said. However, he clarified this did not apply to those in pretrial detention under criminal charges - a group that involves about 30 individuals.

The PM said he had touched on ongoing investigations related to the protests in his exchange with the CoE official, assuring him they would continue and that the Government was “committed to cooperating with all relevant bodies”, including the CoE. 

He said discussions also included Georgia's legislative framework, with particular focus on the law on transparency of foreign influence, which was adopted this year amid protests and requires registration of non-commercial legal entities and media outlets in the country as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they derive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad. 

Kobakhidze reiterated his office’s “openness to dialogue” over the law, emphasising his Government was willing to reconsider its wording “if legitimate concerns are raised”. 

We are open to discussion in any format. If a specific format is created, proposed by the CoE, we are open for this too”, he said, adding the Government would be “willing to revise the law if it can be proven to violate legal principles”.

He reiterated “our messages do not differ. If someone proves to us that there is something negative in this law, we are ready to discuss this issue”.