The further deterioration of the political situation in Georgia

Amendments tabled for the plenary sitting on this text, in their own numbering series. This is a different set from the committee amendments tracked elsewhere on AmendEU, and is not counted in any of the site’s amendment totals.

1. Amendment 1The LeftJoint motion for a resolution · Paragraph 1 a (new)
   Amendment

   1a. Stresses that the future of Georgia must be determined by the will of its people, free from external pressure or interference; emphasises that Georgia’s sovereignty and political trajectory should reflect the aspirations of its people; condemns any attempts, whether foreign or domestic, to undermine Georgia’s democratic institutions;

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2. Amendment 2The LeftJoint motion for a resolution · Paragraph 10
   Current text

   10. Emphasises that respect for fundamental rights is vital to the EU’s visa liberalisation benchmarks; reiterates its call on the Commission and the Council to review Georgia’s visa-free status, with the possibility of suspension if it is considered that EU standards on democratic governance and freedoms are not being upheld;

   Amendment

   10. Emphasises that respect for fundamental rights is vital to the EU’s visa liberalisation benchmarks; reiterates its call on the Commission and the Council to review Georgia’s visa-free status, with the possibility of suspension if it is considered that EU standards on democratic governance and freedoms are not being upheld; notes that the potential suspension of the visa liberalisation agreement would primarily harm the people of Georgia;

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3. Amendment 3ECRJoint motion for a resolution · Paragraph 27
   Current text

   27. Strongly reiterates its urgent demand for the immediate release of former President Mikheil Saakashvili on humanitarian grounds, specifically for the purpose of seeking medical treatment abroad; emphasises that the self-appointed authorities bear full and undeniable responsibility for the life, health, safety and well-being of former President Mikheil Saakashvili and must be held fully accountable for any harm that befalls him;

   Amendment

   27. Strongly reiterates its urgent demand for the immediate release of former President Mikheil Saakashvili on humanitarian grounds, specifically for the purpose of seeking medical treatment abroad; emphasises that the self-appointed authorities bear full and undeniable responsibility for the life, health, safety and well-being of former President Mikheil Saakashvili and must be held fully accountable for any harm that befalls him; calls, furthermore, on the Georgian Dream authorities to ensure that Members of the European Parliament are granted unhindered access to Mikheil Saakashvili;

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4. Amendment 4ESNJoint motion for a resolution · Recital A
   Current text

   A. whereas the democratic backsliding in Georgia has dramatically accelerated since the parliamentary elections of 26 October 2024, which were deeply flawed and marked by grave irregularities and failed to meet international democratic standards and Georgia’s OSCE commitments; whereas these elections violated the democratic norms and standards set for free and fair elections, failing to reflect the will of the people and rendering the resulting ‘parliament’ and subsequently ‘president’ devoid of any democratic legitimacy; whereas 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 o…

   Amendment

   A. whereas concerns have been raised regarding certain aspects of the electoral process in Georgia; whereas international observers, including the OSCE, acknowledged that the elections were broadly in line with international democratic standards, despite some procedural challenges;

   Excerpt — full text in the official PDF.
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5. Amendment 5ESNJoint motion for a resolution · Recital A a (new)
   Amendment

   Aa. whereas, according to Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem), a Sweden-based political science research institute, Georgia is among the top performers across Europe and worldwide in the field of freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom from governmental attacks on judicial justice, and equal protection across societal groups; whereas Georgia has attained a historic high ranking in the Index of Public Integrity of the European Research Centre for Anti-Corruption and State-Building;

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6. Amendment 6ESNJoint motion for a resolution · Paragraph 9
   Current text

   9. Maintains the view that the measures taken so far by the EU in response to the flagrant democratic backsliding and reneging on previous commitments does not yet fully reflect the severity of the situation in Georgia and the latest developments; welcomes the Council’s decision to suspend visa-free travel for Georgian diplomats and officials, but considers it as only a first step, which must be followed by tougher measures; deplores the obstruction by the Hungarian and Slovak Governments of the Council decisions on introducing sanctions against individuals responsible for democratic backsliding in Georgia;

   Amendment

   9. Deplores the decision by the EU foreign ministers of 16 December 2024 to suspend visa-free travel for Georgian officials holding diplomatic passports; takes the view that the deterioration of the EU-Georgia relationship is due to the EU’s interference in the domestic affairs of Georgia;

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7. Amendment 7ESNJoint motion for a resolution · Paragraph 11
   Current text

   11. Strongly condemns the brutal violence and repression used by Georgia’s ruling regime against peaceful protesters since 28 November 2024; calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and those detained during the anti-government protests; demands the release of journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli, who has been on hunger strike for over four weeks now because of her unjust detention and risks facing critical, irreversible and life-threatening consequences; denounces the assault and beating of former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, resulting in his hospitalisation, followed by the arrest on 2 February 2025 of political leaders including Nika Melia and Gigi Ugulava, a…

   Amendment

   11. Condemns the violence used by Georgia’s ruling regime against protesters since 28 November 2024; condemns the violence used by rioters against members of the Georgian police on duty during the riots; calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and those detained during the anti-government protests;

   Excerpt — full text in the official PDF.
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8. Amendment 8ESNJoint motion for a resolution · Paragraph 14
   Current text

   14. Calls for the ‘Georgian authorities’ to take immediate action to ensure the safety and freedom of journalists and to investigate all instances of violence and misconduct by law enforcement agencies; emphasises the importance of fostering a democratic environment where media, civil society and the opposition can operate freely without fear of retaliation or censorship;

   Amendment

   14. Calls for a balanced approach to media and civil society oversight in Georgia, recognising that both government and non-governmental actors must operate within transparent legal frameworks; stresses the need to address legitimate concerns regarding foreign political influence in media operations while safeguarding fundamental freedoms;

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9. Amendment 9ESNJoint motion for a resolution · Paragraph 26
   Current text

   26. Expresses deep concern about the increasing Russian influence in the country and about the Georgian Dream government’s actions in pursuing to pursue a policy of rapprochement and collaboration with Russia, in spite of its creeping occupation of Georgian territory; deplores, in this regard, the growing anti-Western and hostile rhetoric of the Georgian Dream party’s representatives towards Georgia’s strategic Western partners, including the EU, and its MEPs and officials, and Georgian Dream’s promotion of Russian disinformation and manipulation;

   Amendment

   26. Expresses deep concern about the increasing Russian influence in the country, which is mainly driven by the increasingly anti-Georgian and hostile rhetoric of the representatives of the EU towards the Georgian Dream party and the newly elected Georgian Government;

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