The News in Brief
Thursday, October 17, 2024
Prepared by Messenger Staff
Georgia Suspended from Open Government Partnership
The Georgian government confirmed to the media outlet Netgazeti that the country's participation in the Open Government Partnership (OGP) has been suspended. The government administration said it received the suspension notice on October 16.
The suspension is a result of Georgia's failure to meet its OGP commitments, a concern raised by local watchdogs. In May 2024, the OGP warned Georgia about a possible suspension due to the government's handling of the reintroduced Law on Foreign Agents. The organization urged the government to align with OGP principles and gave a 30-day deadline to present a corrective plan, which was apparently unmet.
The OGP, founded in 2011 within the UN General Assembly, consists of 75 member states and thousands of civil society organizations. Georgia joined in 2012 and has implemented four action plans since, but its recent actions have led to this suspension, signaling deeper concerns about democratic backsliding in the country.
Gov't Accuses President of Misusing Administrative Resources for Elections
The Georgian government accused President Salome Zourabichvili of using administrative resources for election purposes, specifically citing her October 7 announcement about organizing a coordination platform at the Orbeliani Palace on election day, October 26.
On October 16, a representative from the President's administration was summoned to the Interdepartmental Commission at the Ministry of Justice to discuss this matter. However, no one from the administration attended the session.
Minister of Justice Rati Bregadze stated that while the president's administration provided a written explanation, the commission found it unsatisfactory. "We agreed to send another letter to the administration of the President of Georgia, requesting that a representative attend the next meeting to address the president's comments about 'celebrating the victory together'," Bregadze said.
The commission aims to prevent any violations of election legislation by civil servants and to address any infractions that may occur. The commission is chaired by Minister Bregadze.
Georgia Suspended from Open Government Partnership
The suspension is a result of Georgia's failure to meet its OGP commitments, a concern raised by local watchdogs. In May 2024, the OGP warned Georgia about a possible suspension due to the government's handling of the reintroduced Law on Foreign Agents. The organization urged the government to align with OGP principles and gave a 30-day deadline to present a corrective plan, which was apparently unmet.
The OGP, founded in 2011 within the UN General Assembly, consists of 75 member states and thousands of civil society organizations. Georgia joined in 2012 and has implemented four action plans since, but its recent actions have led to this suspension, signaling deeper concerns about democratic backsliding in the country.
Gov't Accuses President of Misusing Administrative Resources for Elections
On October 16, a representative from the President's administration was summoned to the Interdepartmental Commission at the Ministry of Justice to discuss this matter. However, no one from the administration attended the session.
Minister of Justice Rati Bregadze stated that while the president's administration provided a written explanation, the commission found it unsatisfactory. "We agreed to send another letter to the administration of the President of Georgia, requesting that a representative attend the next meeting to address the president's comments about 'celebrating the victory together'," Bregadze said.
The commission aims to prevent any violations of election legislation by civil servants and to address any infractions that may occur. The commission is chaired by Minister Bregadze.