(AGENPARL) – Fri 29 August 2025 Image
PRESS RELEASE
Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
Ref. CG051(2025)
Congress Spokesperson deplores crackdowns on NGOs in Georgia
“The Congress has been working closely in particular with the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), to make sure that local and regional elections in Georgia meet European democratic standards set by the Council of Europe, of which Georgia is a member state since 1999. Accusing NGOs of aiding foreign activities which are for the benefit of Georgia is absurd. I urge the Georgian authorities to rescind this decision,” stated Stewart Dickson.
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is an institution of the Council of Europe, responsible for strengthening local and regional democracy in its 46 member states. Composed of two chambers – the Chamber of Local Authorities and the Chamber of Regions – and three committees, it brings together 612 elected officials representing more than 130 000 local and regional authorities.
President of the Congress: Marc Cools (Belgium, ILDG), President of the Chamber of Local Authorities: Bernd Vöhringer (Germany, EPP/CCE), President of the Chamber of Regions: Cecilia Dalman Eek (Sweden, SOC/G/PD).
Political groups: Group of Socialists, Greens and Progressive Democrats (SOC/G/PD), Group of the European Peoples Party (EPP/CCE), Independent Liberal and Democratic Group (ILDG), European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR).
______________________
Council of Europe/Conseil de l’Europe, Avenue de l’Europe, Strasbourg, . 67000 France