In the light of the recent events in Georgia that have
undermined its democratic standards, the  European
People’s Party (EPP) made the following declaration which
offers a roadmap on how to restore the process for the
country’s Euro-Atlantic integration.

The European People’s Party reaffirms its support to the EuroAtlantic integration process of Georgia, underlines with a high
degree of satisfaction the progresses made during the last
years in the fields of rule of law and democratic standards and encourages the current
administration to implement the remaining necessary reforms.
The European People’s Party remains committed to making the November 2013 Eastern
Partnership Summit in Vilnius a success for all the EaP countries in general and for Georgia
in particular but regrets that since the October 2012 Parliamentary elections and the first
democratic transfer of power which followed, backward steps in the country touching on
the rule of law and the independence of judiciary and the media, as well as democratic
standards have damaged the positive image of Georgia. Therefore, under these current
circumstances and once the negotiations of the Association Agreement between the
European Union and Georgia are completed, its signature and its ratification by the
European Union and its Member States are endangered.
However, the Presidency of the European People’s Party believes that through a
comprehensive dialogue with the Georgian government confidence between the
European Union and Georgia can be restored and the obstacles overcome.
The Presidency of the European People’s Party:
1- Functioning democracy
Underlines that there cannot be functioning democracy without a free and
competitive level field for all political forces.Expects the government of Georgia to ensure that no restriction or fear of
intimidation restrict the activities of the opposition political parties.
Urges the political majority to respect the constitutional rights of the President of
Georgia and the parliamentary opposition as well as the autonomy of local selfgovernments and to reverse the campaign of changes of elected local bodies
through pressure and violence.
Calls on the government of Georgia to ensure that justice is not used selectively as
a tool for the advancement of political goals.
2- Judiciary
Underlines that the independence of the judiciary is key to the irreversibility of the
democratic developments in Georgia.
Calls on the government of Georgia to ensure the full observance of the principle of
independence and impartiality of judiciary.
Asks for the full implementation by the government of Georgia of the Venice
Commission’s recommendations on the draft amendments to the organic law on the
Courts of general jurisdiction of Georgia (a particular attention will be paid to the
recommendations on the High Council of Justice).
Expresses its concerns with the possibility of creating a special commission for the
review of already adjudicated cases as containing a significant threat of direct
interference with the independence of the judiciary.
3- Media
Stresses that freedom of expression and information is the cornerstone of good
governance and a functioning democracy.
Calls on the government of Georgia to ensure that no action is taken that could
represent or be seen as representing an interference with freedom of expression
and information, including infringement of independence of media and its freedom
to act without fear of intimidation.
Asks the government of Georgia to ensure that the independence and impartiality
of the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) is maintained and fully guaranteed.
The Presidency of the European People’s Party stresses that the implementation of the
above mentioned points will allow Georgia to emerge from the process of power transfer
as a stronger democracy and will enable further progresses in Georgia’s approximation
with the European Union.