Ladies and gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to be here to launch the Council of Europe’s Action plan for 2016-2019.

Since becoming our 41st member in 1999, Georgia has made significant progress towards achieving European standards in human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

When Prime Minister Kvirikashvili addressed the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly last month, he talked about Georgia’s continued commitment to European values.

He said ‘we have made our choice; we have come a long way to be part of a Europe whole and free. […] In joining the Council of Europe we have become ‘European’ in the deepest sense of the word.’

I am glad to say that this statement is confirmed by deeds, and that Georgia continues to play an active role in standard setting and in improving the monitoring mechanisms of the Council of Europe.

The Action Plan we are launching today helps Georgia enhance the performance of your own institutions.

It builds on the 2013-15 Action Plan, which has led to important changes.

Measures to strengthen the independence and efficiency of Georgia’s judiciary, for example, including by assisting with draft opinions on rules concerning the selection, appointment and disciplinary procedures of judges, and the revision of the Statute of the Georgian Bar Association, the Code of Ethics and the Law on Advocates.

Measures to strengthen protection against ill-treatment and discrimination;

Measures to improve healthcare for prisoners, including with regard to mental health – and we have already observed a significant decrease in deaths and suicide rates in prisons.

Measures to create an environment more conducive to confidence building among communities affected by conflicts.

We are proud of these achievements and, just as importantly, of the way in which the previous Action Plan has helped pave the way for continued reform.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the donors who provided over €10 million to fund the last Plan - notably via the partnership between the Council of Europe and the European Union, and following contributions from Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the Council of Europe’s Human Rights Trust Fund.

I know that, among Georgia’s fellow Council of Europe member States, there is also a great deal of political goodwill towards the programme we are launching today.

At the heart of this Action Plan is a vision of a Georgia made more resilient, more stable and more prosperous through an ever deepening commitment to the rule of law, to liberty and to inclusion.

These are important conditions for fostering democratic security – something we value very much at the Council of Europe, and to which Georgia’s own, specific contribution is greatly appreciated.

Our Organisation was created in the aftermath of the Second World War, when Europe’s leaders sought to build peace on new, democratic foundations.

Today, all around us, we are reminded that the most stable states are those in which institutions command the trust of their citizens; where there are proper checks and balances to prevent the abuse of power; and where we see cohesive communities – because no one group is marginalised and all members of a society can congregate around a set of common values.

In recent years our Secretary General, Mr Thorbjørn Jagland, has reasserted the pursuit of democratic security in Europe as the Council of Europe’s overriding objective. I know that he had been looking forward to being here today in order to launch the Action Plan himself but unfortunately this was not possible, and the Secretary General is now looking forward to visiting Georgia in the Autumn, hopefully following the parliamentary elections.

The new Action Plan will support Georgia’s democratic security – and enhance Georgia’s contribution to Europe’s democratic security – in 5 key ways.

First, through the protection and promotion of human rights and dignity, including by ensuring social rights. 

This includes through measures to strengthen the state’s capacity to tackle discrimination and protect minority rights; through steps to promote media freedom and the independence of the broadcasting regulator and public service broadcasters; and through steps which will help the authorities combat violence against women and children.

Second, the new Action Plan aims to strengthen justice.

In practice this will mean the Council of Europe assisting with reforms to ensure the independence of judges and the transparency of judicial decisions; to improve the accountability of police operations; to support independent and effective investigation of ill-treatment; and to support greater use of rehabilitative justice in order to reintegrate offenders into society.

Third, the Action Plan will strengthen democratic governance.

Our aim is to make use of the specific tools and expertise that the Council of Europe has developed in order to ensure democratic electoral processes, in line with European standards, during parliamentary, presidential and local elections in 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively.

We also want to help fulfil the expectations of the Georgian people by increasing the participation of women in politics, as well as of ethnic minorities and first-time voters.

Fourth, the Action Plan contains measures to strengthen the rule of law.

Specifically, we will be able to cooperate with the Georgian authorities towards strengthening the capacity of criminal justice institutions to tackle corruption, cybercrime and money laundering, including the financing of terrorism.

Last but not least, the Action Plan aims to contribute to confidence building in areas of conflict.

It will do this by helping develop a dialogue between non-state actors, civil society and professionals and by disseminating good practices for the respect of human rights in conflict-affected areas. We will continue to bring together teachers, architects, archive specialists, women’s associations, medical and para-medical staff committed to drugs prevention, among others.

The Action Plan will continue to provide a non-political framework for dialogue between ombudspersons from Tbilisi and Sukhumi on topical issues like freedom of movement, minority languages, access to healthcare and property rights, in order to discuss potential solutions which safeguard the rights of all involved.

In addition, new areas will be explored, including the rights of people with disabilities and environmental protection.

The Council of Europe will continue to support the implementation of Georgia’s 2014-2020 National Human Rights Strategy.

We also want to see Georgia meet its commitment to sign, ratify and implement the European Charter on Regional or Minority Languages.

On all of these fronts and more, Georgia and the Council of Europe will, I’m sure, remain dedicated partners.

I want to thank the authorities for their continued openness to us and their commitment to reform. And for their active commitment during the implementation of the previous Action Plan and the preparation of the new one.

Notably, the Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Corrections.

Also the Central Election Commission, the High School of Justice and the High Council of Justice.

Equally the President and Parliament of Georgia.

Special credit goes to the professional organisations whose contribution to the reform programme is instrumental, as is the case with the Georgian Bar Association.

And the list would not be complete without a mention of Georgia’s vibrant civil society, whose participation make Georgia an example in the region, in terms of popular ownership of the reforms, and their durability.

When Prime Minister Kvirikashvili came to Strasbourg he said something which struck me. Speaking of the progress which has been made in Georgia in recent years, he said that “abiding by European standards is an obligation that has become a habit”.

For those of us who have spent our careers working for the spread of democracy across the European continent, such statements are very encouraging. And I believe that, with a sustained effort, and through partnership, we can go even further, so that abiding by European standards becomes an instinct: a deep reflex ingrained in Georgian institutions; again, setting an example for others, whther close by within the region or further away, wherever the temptation to disregard our shared principles may occur.

Today’s Action Plan is another step down Georgia’s path. As you continue to walk it, the Council of Europe will be alongside you, every step of the way.