CoE Commissioner for Human Rights visits Georgia
Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, is on a working visit to Georgia. She has already met Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.
Mijatović participated as one of the invited speakers during the Tbilisi Women’s International Conference. She is also expected to inaugurate Tbilisi Pride Week, taking place from July 1 to July 8.
Meeting with the Prime Minister
On July 1, Dunja Mijatović met with Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili. They discussed the steps taken by the Georgian government to strengthen national mechanisms for protecting human rights, according to a press release from the Government’s administration.
During the meeting, PM Garibashvili highlighted Georgia’s commitment to fundamental human rights and freedoms, as guaranteed by the Constitution. The official release mentioned that the Parliament of Georgia recently adopted the 2022-2030 National Strategy for the Protection of Human Rights in Georgia, which addresses national needs and challenges while incorporating international human rights standards and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
According to the release, the PM told the guest that said the Government’s main priority is to ensure a healthy environment for all citizens, and spoke about significant reforms implemented to this end. He highlighted the progress made in human rights protection since 2012, and the effectiveness of the Human Rights Council’s work was also emphasized.
The head of government also addressed the challenging humanitarian and human rights situation in the occupied regions of Georgia. The PM expressed gratitude to Mijatović for supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to a peaceful policy for conflict resolution.
Meeting with the President
On July 3, Dunja Mijatović had a vis-a-vis meeting with President Salome Zurabishvili at the Orbeliani Palace.
According to the President’s administration, the conversation touched on the situation in the country in terms of human rights, the issues of hate speech, discrimination, and the prevention of violence against vulnerable groups. It was noted that all forms of violence and discrimination are unacceptable.
Meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, met with the Speaker of the Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili. According to the Parliament’s press release, “the discussion at the meeting touched on the current situation in Georgia with regard to the protection of human rights and parliamentary activity.”
The release reads: “Dunja Mijatović noted that Georgia deserves the status of a candidate country for the European Union and is ready, within the limits of its possibilities, to provide assistance to Georgia on its way to joining the European Union.”
At the end of the meeting, Shalva Papuashvili thanked the Commissioner for the fruitful cooperation.
Meeting with the Ombudsman of Georgia
The Public Defender of Georgia, Levan Ioseliani, met with the CoE Commissioner for Human Rights, on July 3. The meeting focused on the general human rights situation in Georgia, the safety concerns of human rights defenders and journalists, and challenges related to minority rights.
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