On January 18, 2024, the official launching of the Β Action Plan of the Council of Europe for Georgia 2024-2027 took place. Alongside representatives from the executive, legislative, and judicial authorities of Georgia, the Council of Europe, and the diplomatic corps accredited in Georgia, leadership of the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia and representatives of NALAG member municipalities participated in the event.
The event commenced with opening remarks from Mr. Lasha Darsalia, the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Bjorn Berge, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Council of Europe. Subsequently, other speakers, including Levan Zhorzholiani, Deputy Head of the Georgian Delegation to the Congress of the Council of Europe, Member of the Executive Board of NALAG, and Chairman of the Legal Affairs and Human Rights Protection Commission of the Tbilisi City Assembly, as well as Nino Latsabidze, the Mayor of Rustavi Municipality, delivered speeches. Levan Sherazadishvili, the deputy mayor of the municipality of Oni, and Nana Tavdumadze, the head of the office of the Ozurgeti City Council, also addressed the audience. The Executive Director of NALAG, Nino Rukhadze, shared valuable insights as well.
The speakers highlighted the significance of the Council of Europe’s action plan for 2024-2027 in Georgia, providing an overview of the measures implemented in their respective organizations and municipalities. Additionally, they discussed future actions outlined in the document.
The action plan aims to fortify the values of the Council of Europe in the country, emphasizing human rights, the rule of law, and democracy. It promotes the implementation of democratic reforms in Georgia and the alignment of legislation and state institutions with European standards. Furthermore, the action plan includes measures for confidence-building Β in the occupied territories of Georgia.
It’s worth noting that the 2024-2027 Action Plan of the Council of Europe for Georgia was adopted on October 18, 2023, during the 1478th meeting of the CoE Committee of Ministers at Deputy Level. This document resulted from close cooperation between the executive, legislative, and judicial authorities of Georgia, CSOs, and representatives of the Council of Europe.