ISFED to File Lawsuit Over Mass Dismissals of Civil Servants, Citing Political Persecution
The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), a watchdog, condemned the politically motivated dismissal of more than fifty civil servants in Georgia and said it would file a joint lawsuit with the Independent Trade Union of Civil Servants. According to ISFED, the dismissals are mainly targeting civil servants who signed the petition in support of the constitutional provision in support of Georgia’s European integration and thus showed signs of political persecution and discrimination. The dismissals have affected employees of both central and local state institutions.
The watchdog said it is particularly alarming that the dismissals have been carried out without any justification or transparent procedures, citing formal reasons such as reorganization or dismissal due to contract expiry. ISFED said that dismissal is linked to family members’ political activities in several cases.
The statement reads that the purges were facilitated by the expedited adoption of the amendments to the Law on Civil Service on December 13, 2024. The amendments simplified the dismissals of public servants. They consolidated political influence over the civil service by reclassifying mid-level managerial civil servant positions into contracted—i.e., politically appointed—personnel, thus undermining their independence. The critics pointed out that the amendments proposed by GD violated international labor conventions, particularly ILO Convention 158, and opened the door to political interference in the civil service.
The organization further warns that the dismissal of experienced and qualified civil servants, combined with increased political control, may severely impact the effective functioning of public institutions.
The wave of dismissals began just before the New Year, as several public servants wrote on social media about their termination without explanation.
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