“As the ruling Georgian Dream party continues to attack democracy in Georgia, it’s important for Western policy makers not to engage in political dialogue with its representatives” – said Tinatin Khidasheli, former Minister of Defence and director of the Civic IDEA think tank.
She relayed this message at the Forum 2000 conference during an expert panel on civil society in Georgia, which was co-organised by the Prague Civil Society Centre and Civic-Idea.
Together with Saba Brachveli, Human Rights Programme manager at the Civil Society Foundation, and Ghia Nodia, Professor of politics at Ilia State University in Tbilisi, they discussed the ongoing resistance against the Georgian government’s repression, as well as what can Europe do to help Georgian civil society.
“The current government stands on three pillars of power: propaganda, law enforcement, and finances. We need financial sanctions on the individuals and businesses tied to financing these,” Brachveli said.
“Resistance is successful and will eventually change the regime,” stated Khidasheli.
“In recent years, georgia’s civil society has come under pressure from a government eager to consolidate power, labeling critics as foreign agents or enemies of the state. As civic space shrinks, activists continue to resist – organizing, adapting, and defending democratic values. While rooted in Georgia, these challenges reflect wider global trends. What lled to the current situation, and what does it mean on the ground ? what political, legal, and rhetorical strategies are restricting civic space, and how do they reflect broader authoritarian trends? How are civil society actors resisting and innovating and what lessons can be shared internationally? How can local and global actors support democratic resilience” – says the forum 2000
