EU releases 2021 annual report on EU-Georgia Association Agreement
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, August 15, 2022
The European Union has published an annual report on the association agreement with Georgia. The report reviews the reforms carried out by Georgia within the framework of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement over the past year.
The report states that convergence with EU legislation continued during 2021 and the first half of 2022, although key areas of rule of law and governance, including the judiciary remain of concern for the EU. Also, the report reads that there was a significant setback in relation to human rights.
A report prepared by the External Action Service and the European Commission shows that the EU-Georgia Association Agreement was still the driving force behind the reforms. Overall, alignment of national legislation with EU legislation under the Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) is well underway and progressing. Inclusive and ecologically balanced growth was a central element of EU-Georgia cooperation. In 2021, the EU continued its assistance related to the COVID-19 pandemic and contributed to a strong and sustainable socio-economic recovery, which laid the foundation for the implementation of the Eastern Partnership Economic and Investment Plan.
According to the report, "in 2021, challenges threatened to undermine the country's democratic foundations and a setback in terms of the rule of law. This is a renewed and serious commitment to democratic consolidation, judicial reforms, actions to reduce political polarization and strengthen the rule of law, and to guarantee a professional, pluralistic and independent media environment." It shows the necessity. These are the essential priorities for Georgia to move forward on the European path".
The report lists specific issues that the EU considers problematic: restrictions on the functioning of the parliament after the 2020 parliamentary elections, flaws in the conduct of local elections, July 2021 violence against journalists and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people without further substantive investigation, Information about hearings of part of the Georgian and diplomatic community.
"Over the past year, the reform of the judicial system has been delayed and even regressed in key areas. Several important laws were passed by the Parliament in an accelerated manner without the necessary consultation and analysis on compliance with EU or Council of Europe standards. These laws affect the functioning of the judicial system, key appointment procedures, secret surveillance procedures and included the disbanding of the State Inspector Service. Also among the problematic issues was the partial implementation of the agreement reached through the mediation of Charles Michel. In 2021, the significant socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Georgia continued, and the existing vulnerability became even more acute," the report reads.
The following issues are also problematic according to the EU report: State Inspector Service, politically sensitive court cases, media environment, cancellation of the march of pride, Gender equality and others.
In the report it is mentioned that the Public Defender and her office were under pressure because they were responding to sensitive issues.
The report generally states that Georgia has a deterioration in all key areas.
"The Public Defender and her staff actively continued to fulfill their oversight role. The recommendations issued in accordance with his mandate were only partially implemented by the Georgian authorities. The office was under pressure for speaking out on certain politically sensitive issues, including Tbilisi Pride and the conditions of imprisonment of former President Saakashvili. Attempts were made to undermine the independence of the Office of the Public Defender and question the integrity of its employees." the EU report reads.
According to the EU, media freedom in Georgia significantly worsened compared to last year, especially in relation to the safety of journalists.
"Georgia's media landscape remained pluralistic and competitive, but also highly polarised. In the 2020 World Press Freedom Index3 Georgia has maintained its 60th rank among 180 countries. Its Freedom House rating decreased slightly, with an aggregate "freedom score" of 61, compared to 63 in 2019."
