Parliament adopts statement condemning actions of Georgian government

A woman makes a selfie during the rally against the "foreign influence" law crowd outside the parliament building in central Tbilisi on May 28, 2024. Photo: VANO SHLAMOV / AFP / Scanpix

The Estonian parliament issued a statement on Tuesday in which it condemns the actions of the government and the parliamentary majority of Georgia in adopting the law on transparency of foreign influence and abandoning European values.

In the statement, the Riigikogu points out that despite widespread protests, calls from the EU and Georgia's allies and a veto by the president of Georgia, on May 28 May the parliament of Georgia, with the votes of the ruling party Georgian Dream, passed the law on transparency of foreign influence, which is inspired by the Russian Federation«s so-called foreign agents law, which Putin's regime uses to repress civil society, the media and political opposition.

According to the statement, the EU, the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe as well as the Georgian civil society have declared the law to be contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as it violates the principles of the rule of law, legality and proportionality, as well as non-discrimination.

The Riigikogu condemns the activities of the government and the parliamentary majority of Georgia in passing the law on transparency of foreign influence and abandoning European values, and calls on the parliament and government of Georgia to immediately repeal the law on transparency of foreign influence.

The Riigikogu also calls on the government of Georgia to stop using violence against demonstrators, civil society and opposition politicians, to carry out legal investigations in regard of the authorities and individuals who have used violence against peaceful protesters, to uphold its promise to promote the rule of law and protect human rights, and to implement the reforms that are demanded by the overwhelming majority of the citizens of Georgia and are a precondition for the accession to the EU.

The statement underlines that as long as the government and parliament of Georgia have not started to resolve the democratic crisis in a way that respects the rule of law and civil rights, have not returned to the reform and democratization program agreed upon with the EU, and have not repealed the law on transparency of foreign influence, the Riigikogu considers it necessary for Estonia to block in the Council of the European Union all further processes relating to Georgia's accession in the EU, freeze development cooperation with Georgia's state agencies and use the funds released to support Georgian civil society.

The Riigikogu also considers it necessary to propose to the Council of the European Union to impose sanctions, including an entry ban into the European Union, on Bidzina Ivanishvili, members of the government of Georgia, the leaders of the parliament of Georgia and the leadership and parliamentary group of the Georgian Dream party. If this proposal is not supported, the Riigikogu wants the Estonian government to impose sanctions, including an entry ban into Estonia, against these persons.

The parliament of Estonia also wants that Estonia proposes to the Council of the European Union to impose sanctions on the representatives of the power structures and law enforcement agencies of Georgia who have been involved in the violent suppression of peaceful demonstrations of the citizens of Georgia and the repressing of Georgia»s opposition and civil society. If this proposal is not supported, the Riigikogu wants the Estonian government to impose sanctions against these persons.

The Riigikogu also considers it necessary that Estonia supports in the Council of the European Union the freezing of the visa-free regime between Georgia and the European Union until the law on transparency of foreign influence is repealed.

«The Riigikogu expresses its respect to the brave Georgian people who stand for Georgia's democratic and pro-European future,» the statement says.

The statement of the Riigikogu «On the Crisis of Democracy in Georgia», submitted by 44 MPs, was passed with 57 votes for and 13 against.