The European Parliament voted on February 13 on a resolution concerning the “Further deterioration of the political situation in Georgia”, which calls for the EU to sanction top Georgian officials and withhold recognition of the one-party Georgian Dream (GD) parliament.

The motion, which combined draft resolutions submitted by MEPs from five political groups within the plenary, received overwhelming support, with 400 votes in favour, 63 against and 81 abstaining.

“Georgia’s self-appointed authorities have plunged the country into a fully-fledged constitutional and political crisis, as well as a human rights and democracy crisis marked by the brutal repression of peaceful protesters, political opponents and media representatives,” the resolution document stated.

The EP condemned recent “dramatic acceleration of democratic backsliding” and increasing authoritarianism in the Caucasus country, describing Georgia as a “state captured by the illegitimate regime of Georgian Dream” via an “unconstitutional usurpation of power”.

The parliament highlighted how the situation in the Black Sea country has rapidly deteriorated since the disputed parliamentary elections of October 2024 which saw GD proclaim a 54% victory and which the resolution described as “deeply flawed and marked by grave irregularities”.

The document stressed that the country’s ongoing political crisis can only be resolved by way of new elections, and demands that these are held within the next few months “in an improved electoral environment”.

The EP’s resolution comes amid allegations from Georgia’s domestic political opposition and much of civil society that the increasingly authoritarian ruling GD party rigged the October 2024 vote and formed an illegitimate government.  

Crowds of pro-EU protesters have been on the streets of the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, for nearly 80 consecutive nights demanding a re-run of the October vote, the release of all those arrested during violent police crackdowns on demonstrators, and their country’s return to the European path, which the GD parliament suspended on November 28 last year.

EU U-turn

In the resolution the European Parliament expressed “deep regret” over GD’s decision to “abandon” EU accession negotiations, adding that “the ongoing democratic backsliding and adoption of anti-democratic laws” had effectively suspended Georgia’s EU integration process anyway.

Furthermore, the parliament reiterated its “unwavering support for the Georgian people’s legitimate European aspirations and their wish to live in a prosperous and democratic country”.

The EP declared that it “does not recognise the self-proclaimed authorities of the GD party”, which it described were established during a vote which “violated the democratic norms and standards set for free and fair elections”.

As the October election did not reflect the will of the Georgian people, the resolution argued, the resulting parliament, and subsequently the president, is “devoid of any democratic legitimacy”.

“From the very beginning of its activity, the current Georgian parliament has operated as a one-party (Georgian Dream) organ, which is incompatible with the essence of pluralistic parliamentary democracy,” the resolution continued, alluding to how all four opposition factions which won seats in the election have boycotted every parliamentary session to date in protest against the contested election.

The EP urged the European Union and its member states, as well as national parliaments and interparliamentary institutions, not to recognise the legitimacy of the one-party GD parliament, its appointed government and president, Mikheil Kavelashvili, who was voted in by an electoral council comprised of GD representatives in December 2024.

Instead, the resolution stated that the European Parliament continues to recognise Georgia’s fifth president, Salome Zourabichvili, as the “legitimate president of Georgia and representative of the Georgian people”.

As a solution to Georgia’s deepening political crisis, the document presents a new round of parliamentary elections as the sole answer and stressed that these need to take place within the next few months and must be “monitored through diligent international observation to guarantee a genuinely fair, free and transparent process”.

Further, the European Parliament encouraged the EU to demand a new vote and “make any future engagement explicitly conditional on setting a new date for parliamentary elections and establishing a mechanism to ensure they are free and fair”.

Increasing repression

The EP’s resolution urged the GD authorities to “immediately cease the violent repression of peaceful protesters, political opponents and media representatives”, and highlighted the authorities’ current violation of “fundamental freedoms, basic human rights and the core international obligations of the country”, which in turn undermines decades of democratic reforms.

The plenary demanded an “independent, transparent and impartial investigation into police brutality and the excessive use of force against peaceful demonstrators” during nightly street protests since November 28.

The resolution called for all those responsible for human rights violations – both police officers and the officials commanding them – to be held fully accountable before the law, noting that “to date, not a single law enforcement official involved in the brutal crackdowns, arbitrary arrests and mistreatment has been brought to justice”.

MEPs highlighted the specific cases of the detained veteran journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, who remains in hospital over a month into a hunger strike, opposition politician Giorgi Gakharia, who was attacked by GD MPs in a Batumi hotel in January, Nika Melia and Gigi Ugulava who were arrested at a rally on February 2 and Elene Khoshtaria who was detained on January 12.

The EP called for the “immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and those detained during the anti-government protests”.

In a post on X shortly after the resolution was passed, Rasa Juknevičienė, one of the 53 MEPs who tabled the motion, listed “police brutality [at protests], detentions, torture, political violence and new draconian legislation designed to tighten control and ramp up penalties for various offences, directly targeting protesters, critics and political dissenters”, among the elements of GD’s ongoing campaign of repression.

On February 6 GD fast-tracked a batch of repressive amendments which toughened punishments for administrative and criminal offences and tightened the law on assemblies and demonstrations.

The day before the party adopted two new laws aimed at censoring Georgian media and restricting NGOs and media organisations which receive funding and benefits from abroad.

In reaction to this, the EP’s resolution condemned GD’s “vilification of civil society organisations and reputable international donors that support democracy, the rule of law and the protection of human rights in Georgia”.

The EP encouraged the European Commission to “swiftly redirect the frozen €120mn intended as support for the Georgian authorities to enhance the EU’s support for Georgia’s civil society, in particular the non-governmental sector and independent media. The resolution highlighted the “undue pressure” these groups were now facing and called on the EU to adjust their funding mechanism to “take into account the needs that arise in a more hostile and anti-democratic environment”.

Also on February 5, the one-party GD parliament annulled the mandates of 49 opposition MPs who refused to take up their seats following the botched October vote, while three GD members broke away from the main party to form a “healthy opposition” faction.

The EP denounced this move as “a sign of further democratic backsliding and…an attack on political pluralism in the country”.

Targeted sanctions

The document calls on the European Council and member states to “impose personal sanctions on Georgian officials and political leaders responsible for democratic backsliding, election fraud, human rights violations and the prosecution of political opponents and activists”.

The motion lists Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, the speaker of the parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, Tbilisi Mayor and GD secretary general Kakha Kaladze, Minister of Internal Affairs Vakhtang Gomelauri and former prime minister and chair of the GD party, Irakli Garibashvili.

The EP demanded that EU sanctions extend to the judges of the Constitutional Court, whom they accuse of passing politically motivated sentences, representatives of the law enforcement services, financial enablers supporting the regime, and “owners of regime-aligned media outlets, including Imedi TV, Post TV and Rustavi 2 TV, for their role in spreading disinformation and seeking to manipulate public discourse in order to sustain the current ruling party’s authoritarian rule.”

MEPs praised the European Council’s decision in January to suspend visa free-travel for certain Georgian officials and diplomatic passport holders as a first step, but highlighted how Hungary and Slovakia have “consistently blocked impactful EU-wide sanctions” on the “self-appointed Georgian authorities”.

The resolution underscored that the EU’s actions thus far in response to the deterioration of democracy in Georgia “do not yet fully reflect the severity of the situation” and urged the bloc to take tougher measures.

Specifically, the EP highlighted the need for “immediate and targeted personal sanctions” from the EU on the billionaire GD founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili – who was sanctioned by the US in December – “for his role in the deterioration of the political process in Georgia” and for “acting against the country’s constitutionally declared interests of Euro-Atlantic integration”.

The resolution also called for EU sanctions on Ivanishvili’s “networks of enablers, elite entourage, corrupt financial operatives, propagandists and those facilitating the repressive state apparatus”.

As per the resolution, the “enablers” include at least 25 individuals, including the billionaire’s wife, Ekaterine Khvedelidze, three sons, Uta, Tsotne and Bera Ivanishvili, and daughter, Gvantsa Ivanishvili.

GD reaction

“The resolution adopted today by the European Parliament … is directed against Georgia and the authorities elected by the Georgian people,” the GD political council stated on X, adding that “unfortunately, it is impossible to take the European Parliament seriously today”.

Drawing on previous allegations, the ruling party claimed that the EP is under the control of an international “deep state” network intent on spreading subversive influence in foreign governments including Georgia’s.

“Either the "deep state" will destroy the European Union, or the European Union will find the strength to free itself from the influence of the "deep state", the GD Political Council declared, echoing comments by US President Donald Trump, who has also declared America to be at risk from destruction by the “deep state”.

“Just as we wish President Trump success in his fight against the "deep state," we also wish Europe the strength to free itself from the harmful influence of the "deep state". We will stand with patriotic Europeans in this battle.” the ruling party stated.

On February 12, when the EP’s resolution was still in draft form, the PM described it as “worthless as straw” and a “frivolous project”, insisting that Georgia is governed democratically while the opposition “is anti-democratic by its very nature”.