The French National Assembly adopted a resolution on Georgia condemning the illiberal drift of the Georgian government, supporting Georgia’s European destiny, and “strongly urging” the Georgian government to repeal the foreign agents law.
Taking into account the fundamental freedoms of opinion, expression, association and peaceful assembly enshrined in the Georgian Constitution, the restrictive nature of the foreign agents law on democracy, human rights and the rule of law in the country, Georgia’s candidate status and the importance of a free civil society in combating disinformation against the EU, as well as the incompatibility of the foreign agents law with EU values and democratic principles, the resolution:
- Affirms its “unwavering support” for the people of Georgia in their European aspirations and their will to live in a prosperous country that “fights corruption, protects human rights and respects the independence of the media;”
- Condemns the police crackdown on demonstrators protesting against the foreign agents law, the arbitrary detentions, and the campaign of intimidation and harassment against opponents of the government and representatives of civil society, and reaffirms the right of the Georgian people to demonstrate freely.
- Storngly urges the repeal of the Foreign Agents Law, as it jeopardizes the free functioning of civil society organizations and the existence of independent media, and is incompatible with European values and thus with Georgia’s EU accession path;
- Calls on the Georgian government to implement the recommendations of the Urgent Opinion of the Venice Commission on the foreign agents law;
- Believes that the EU should not open accession negotiations with Georgia if the Foreign Agents law is adopted;
- Calls on the Georgian government to adopt reforms that will strengthen the rule of law and the fight against corruption “in order to reduce the dominant role of oligarchs in Georgian public life.”
- Condemns the persecution of journalists and the government’s opponents, including the former President Mikheil Saakashvili;
- Considers that the Foreign Agents law contradicts first, second and the ninth conditions set for Georgia by the European Commission;
- Calls on the Georgian Government to reaffirm Georgia’s European commitment, to adopt the necessary reforms and to strengthen the rule of law, democracy and fundamental freedoms, and to meet all the conditions set for the country after it was granted the EU candidate status;
- Asks the European Commission to present an interim report on Georgia’s progress in implementing the nine steps.
Also Read:
- 22/05/2024 – Lithuanian Parliament Adopts Resolution Calling on Georgian Gov’t to Withdraw Agents’ Law
- 22/05/2024 – Ambassador Fischer: “If Agents’ Law Passes, Germany Will Not Vote to Open EU Accession Negotiations with Georgia”
- 19/05/2024 – German, French Leaders Say Georgian Government, Ruling Party “Deviate” from EU Path
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