On attempts by the ruling party Georgian Dream to ban opposition parties in Georgia

Key points

1. Georgian Dream has filed Constitutional Court proceedings to ban several major opposition parties, including all major opposition groups that passed the electoral threshold in the 2024 elections.¶
2. These proceedings are part of a broader pattern of restrictive measures aimed at shattering Georgia's democracy, political pluralism and civic space.¶
3. Only Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have imposed bilateral targeted sanctions on those responsible; the United States and the United Kingdom have also introduced targeted sanctions against Bidzina Ivanishvili and government officials.¶
4. Parliament stands in solidarity with the Georgian people in their struggle for a free and democratic Georgia.¶
5. It deplores attempts to ban major opposition parties and urges Georgian authorities to refrain from using constitutional, criminal or administrative proceedings to suppress peaceful political opposition.¶
6. It stresses that banning political parties is an extreme restriction on basic freedoms subject to strict requirements of legality, necessity and proportionality.
7. It calls for repeal or substantial revision of legislation restricting political participation and criminalising peaceful political activity, criticism of state institutions, or exercise of freedom of expression, association and assembly.¶
8. It underlines that if repressive measures are not withdrawn, Georgian authorities will be responsible for further alienating Georgia from the EU and making EU accession impossible.
9. It recalls Georgia's obligations as an EU candidate country to align with the EU acquis and considers that its democratic backsliding and human rights violations should prompt a firm EU response.¶
10. It regrets the lack of EU and member state action to hold accountable those responsible for repressive legislation and excessive force against peaceful protesters and journalists.¶
11. It reiterates its call for the EU and member states to adopt personal sanctions against Ivanishvili and immobilise his assets.
12. It urges the Council to introduce EU-wide targeted sanctions against Ivanishvili and the broader Georgian Dream leadership, and calls on member states to impose bilateral sanctions without delay until then.