Concerns persist regarding the human rights situation in the areas affected by the armed conflict between the Russian Federation and Georgia in August 2008, according to a report by Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić presented to the Committee of Ministers.

The bi-annual report (covering the period April-October 2022) on the conflict in Georgia highlighted that core issues concerning the human rights and humanitarian situation in the conflict-affected areas continue to see little progress, with restrictions on freedom of movement, including through the illegal so-called “borderisation” process, and access to education and health care remaining of serious concern, including with regard to their impact on vulnerable groups.

Against this background, the Secretary General welcomed the continuous efforts and initiatives undertaken by the Georgian government aimed at promoting dialogue and reconciliation, and their provision of access to health care, education, and social benefits to residents of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia.

 Press release

As part of his visit to Strasbourg, on 16 November, the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Lasha Darsalia, held a meeting with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić.
According to the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, it is important to keep the issues related to the occupied regions of Georgia high on the agenda of the Council of Europe and thanked the Secretary General for preparing the 26th  consolidated report, which provides the international community with information regarding the situation in the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions occupied by Russia.
During the meeting, Lasha Darsalia provided the Secretary General with detailed information on the security, human rights and humanitarian situation in the occupied regions of Georgia.
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe emphasized the importance of the practice of preparing a consolidated report.
The sides expressed close interest in exchanging high-level visits taking into account the existing environment in the region.
The sides once again underlined their commitment to close cooperation between Georgia and the Council of Europe.

Strasbourg, 16.11.2022 – Concerns persist regarding the human rights situation in the areas affected by the armed conflict between the Russian Federation and Georgia in August 2008, according to a report by Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić presented to the Committee of Ministers and published today. 

The bi-annual report (covering the period April-October 2022) on the conflict in Georgia highlighted that core issues concerning the human rights and humanitarian situation in the conflict-affected areas continue to see little progress, with restrictions on freedom of movement, including through the illegal so-called “borderisation” process, and access to education and health care remaining of serious concern, including with regard to their impact on vulnerable groups.

Against this background, the Secretary General welcomed the continuous efforts and initiatives undertaken by the Georgian government aimed at promoting dialogue and reconciliation, and their provision of access to health care, education, and social benefits to residents of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia. 

The report also noted the work of the Council of Europe to facilitate confidence-building measures which aim to build bridges between population groups and enhance human rights protection in regions affected by conflict.

During the reporting period, the Committee of Ministers started examining the execution of the European Court judgment on the inter-state case “Georgia v. Russia (II)” delivered in January 2021 concerning the armed conflict between Georgia and the Russian Federation in 2008 and its consequences. The Committee reaffirmed the Russian Federation’s unequivocal obligation to implement all the measures to execute the judgment notwithstanding its cessation of membership to the Council of Europe.

Background note for Editors
Consolidated reports on the conflict in Georgia have been prepared by the Secretary General since 2010, following a Committee of Ministers decision. The current report is based, inter alia, on the results of the fact-finding visit to Tbilisi on 19 - 21 September 2022.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia met with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe within the framework of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly.
Ilia Darchiashvili and Marija Pejčinović Burić spoke about Georgia's successful cooperation with the Council of Europe, emphasizing the Organization’s important contribution to the process of democratic development of Georgia.
Special attention was paid to the Russia-Georgia conflict, the situation in the occupied regions, and in this context, the Council of Europe’s important role in the peaceful resolution of the conflict as well as in restoring confidence between the communities torn apart by the conflict.
The sides emphasized the importance of keeping the occupation of Georgian territories high on the agenda of the Council of Europe and positively assessed the practice of the Secretary General’s annual reports on the difficult humanitarian situation and the security environment in the occupied regions, for which Ilia Darchiashvili thanked the Secretary General. Discussions focused on the security environment in the region, as well as on the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The Secretary General thanked Georgia for its active involvement in the CoE’s actions aimed to support Ukraine.
The sides highlighted the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia aimed to support the ongoing reforms in Georgia.

Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić will participate in the Second Summit of the Crimea Platform tomorrow 23 August, hosted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Secretary General will speak about the support provided by the organisation to Ukraine and will specifically address human rights challenges in Crimea, following her first report on the human rights situation in Ukraine, which was presented in June.

The event brings together world leaders of states and governments, and international organisations. It will be transmitted live on the YouTube channel of the Crimea Platform https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn6JO54X-GZiOVh38Qlk4Ow

Transport connectivity is critical to the future of our countries, in particular to reduce the cost of trade and improve access to global markets, promote the integration of economies and people, and achieve the SDGs.

This was stated by UN Secretary General António Guterres in his address to the participants of the Ministerial Transport Conference of Landlocked Developing Countries “Ashgabat Process: Funding for Better Connectivity”.

– For various reasons, today there are great obstacles to improving the transport interconnection of landlocked countries-Guterres said. The large number of border crossings, complex transport and border procedures, and restrictions imposed by the pandemic have resulted in costs and delays.

– We must work together to return transport to its previous path of development,” the UN Secretary General said. – For landlocked countries, this need can be addressed through a roadmap that describes the activities and the cost-effectiveness of the activities.

Guterres called on the participating countries of the Avaza conference to use innovation and technology to achieve the set goals, as well as join forces to ensure sustainable transport and real interconnection of landlocked countries.

Cooperation between Georgia and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), current military activities witnessed in Ukraine and security environment in the region were among the main topics of discussion at a meeting held today between Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia and Helga Maria Schmid, OSCE Secretary General.

The Head of Government of Georgia expressed gratitude to the OSCE Secretary General for the efforts made towards a peaceful conflict resolution and rebuilding of trust among the war-torn communities in Georgia, thereby stressing the role of an OSCE Co-Chairmanship in the Geneva International Discussions (GID) and within the format of incident prevention and response mechanisms. It was once again highlighted at the meeting that the following round of GID should be held in the nearest future.

It was noted that irrespective of the difficult challenges faced in the security and humanitarian conditions on the ground, the Government of Georgia remains committed towards a peaceful conflict resolution initiative and democratic development of the country.

Irakli G+aribashvili and Helga Maria Schmid spoke about the military activities witnessed in Ukraine. The Prime Minister of Georgia reiterated solidarity towards Ukraine and stressed the importance of having the war ended in the shortest period of time.

Press Service of the Government Administration

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Ilia Darchiashvili, met with the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, within the framework of the meeting of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) at the level of Ministers of Foreign Affairs.
 
At the meeting, the Minister thanked the Alliance for inviting partner countries, including Georgia, to the NATO Ministerial Meeting , which is yet another demonstration of the Alliance's support for Georgia. The sides highlighted the Secretary-General's personal support for Georgia and its Euro-Atlantic integration, and the importance of ensuring the Alliance's continued and strong support in this process. The sides reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate intensely in the future. During his first meeting with the NATO Secretary General, the sides also exchanged views on the security environment in the region.

MFA Georgia

The Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Chair of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers, Luigi Di Maio, the President of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, Tiny Kox, and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, have made the following statement:

“As leaders of the Council of Europe we expressed on several occasions our firm condemnation of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine. This unjustified and unprovoked aggression led to the decision of the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly to initiate the procedure of expulsion of the Russian Federation from the Council of Europe provided under Article 8 of the Statute.

In this framework, tonight, the Parliamentary Assembly unanimously considered that the Russian Federation should no longer be a member State of the Organisation. The Committee of Ministers will hold an extraordinary meeting tomorrow morning also in the light of today’s notification by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation of the Russian leadership’s decision to withdraw from the Council of Europe.

Through their actions in Ukraine the Russian authorities deprive the Russian people of the benefit of the most advanced human rights protection system in the world, including the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights and our vast convention system.

We express solidarity with the Russian people who, we firmly believe, share democratic values and aspire to remain part of the European family where they belong.

We remain determined to use all means at our disposal to provide support, relief and legal remedies to the Ukrainian people in their fight against the aggressor and to continue the pursuit of peace based on justice and international co-operation.

It is important in these difficult times for Europe to stand strong and united by Ukraine, its authorities and the Ukrainian people."

“The recognition of the so-called ‘people’s republics’ of Donetsk and Luhansk by the Russian Federation is in violation of international law and represents a unilateral breach of the Minsk agreements - which remain the only basis for a settlement of the conflict in Donbas.

The Council of Europe affirms its unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.

We call on the Russian Federation to reverse this decision and abstain from further aggravating the situation.

We insistently call our member states to solve their disagreement through dialogue based on respect of the principles enshrined in the Statute of the Council of Europe, and in the European Convention on Human Rights.”

Statement by Council of Europe Secretary General