Georgian Dream must ensure the implementation of the twelve recommendations of the European Commission with the appropriate involvement of civil society
The tenth priority, stipulated in the recommendations of the European Commission, obliges the authorities to ensure the involvement of NGOs at all levels within the process of working on the recommendations. Any attempt to prevent such participation, especially under the pretext of narrow partisan opinions or tastes of party members, will be deemed a violation of this requirement.
We would like to remind the public that several public organizations were not granted the opportunity to participate in the activity of the working groups created by the ruling party to implement the twelve-point recommendations of the European Commission, and the parliamentary committee strictly limited the representation of non-governmental organizations.
Later, the "International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy" (ISFED), nominated in accordance with the form proposed by the parliamentary committee, was not allowed to participate in the meeting of the group working on the electoral reform. This approach contradicts the tenth item of the recommendations of the European Commission, is devoid of any justification, confirms that the Georgian Dream identifies the process with internal party discussions, and is also an attempt to discredit the ISFED.
Inclusive involvement of non-governmental organizations in the working processes does not imply the involvement based on partisan interests, but rather welcomes the participation of everyone, including those with critical views or persons who might be undesirable to any member of the group. According to the Speaker of the Parliament,[1] the reason why the ISFED was not allowed to the group was that the organization just a few days earlier had joined the protest of several NGOs demanding the formation of the so-called technical government, following Georgia's failure to receive the status of a candidate country for EU membership. A public organization has complete freedom to demand political responsibility from the ruling political power for the failed political process, and blocking the participation of the organization in the inclusive format created within the state institution on this very ground is a subjective decision of the political party, which erases the line between the state and the ruling party.
In addition, the non-admission of a specific organization to the group on a personal decision of the head of the working group,[2] an opinion of the Speaker of the Parliament,[3] or any other unlawful reasons is a violation of the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament. Making decisions on the composition of the working group falls within the competence of the Legal Issues Committee. The head of the group does not have the right to review the decision of the Committee or otherwise determine the composition of the group. The working group on electoral issues was established within the Legal Issues Committee on August 4.[4] By the decision of the Committee, the group provided two quotas for public organizations that ought to have been nominated by the Georgian Civil Society National Platform for the Eastern Partnership Forum. This is how the ISFED was presented to the group, and since then the decision has not been changed in the manner as prescribed by law.[5]
The "Democracy Index - Georgia" calls on the Georgian Dream to:
- Fulfill the tenth requirement stipulated in the EU recommendations and ensure the wide involvement of NGOs at all levels in the decision-making process on issues envisaged by the European Commission's recommendations.
- Admit the "International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy" (ISFED) to the working group on electoral issues.
[1] Shalva Papuashvili's statement - https://parliament.ge/media/news/shalva-papuashvili-isfed-ma-unda-upasukhos-sazogadoebas-khsnian-tu-ara-ultimatums-rom-hkondet-gadamtsqveti-khma-mtavrobis-dakomplektebashi-tu-khsnian-sheudzliat-samushao-jgufshi
[2] https://www.interpressnews.ge/ka/article/723252-givi-mikanazis-gancxadebit-samushao-jgupis-shexvedraze-samartliani-archevnebis-ardashveba-misi-piradi-gadacqvetilebaa-da-tu-arasamtavrobo-organizacia-politikur-motxovnebs-sajarod-gaemijneba-kari-giaa/
[3] Shalva Papuashvili's statement - https://parliament.ge/media/news/shalva-papuashvili-isfed-ma-unda-upasukhos-sazogadoebas-khsnian-tu-ara-ultimatums-rom-hkondet-gadamtsqveti-khma-mtavrobis-dakomplektebashi-tu-khsnian-sheudzliat-samushao-jgufshi
[4] https://web-api.parliament.ge/storage/files/shares/Komitetebi/iuridiuli/oqmebi/2022/3-danarti.pdf
[5] https://web-api.parliament.ge/storage/files/shares/Komitetebi/iuridiuli/oqmebi/2022/3-danarti.pdf