According to the resolution of the OGP Steering Committee published on October 14, considering the events that have developed in the country since the publication of Stage One Recommendations on May 6, 2024 — including the Law “On Transparency of Foreign Influence” adopted on June 3, 2024, and other laws restricting fundamental rights and civic space — fulfilling the recommendations before the stipulated deadline of November 6, 2024, is no longer viable. This means that Georgia’s OGP membership will be temporarily suspended.
According to the conclusion of the OGP Steering Committee, recently adopted legislative acts in Georgia, which have been evaluated by reputable international organizations (Venice Commission, EU-ODIHR, and others), reflect aspirations of the Georgian government that are in sharp opposition with the principles of protection of civic space and fundamental freedoms.
Therefore, in accordance with the OGP Response Policy procedures, the OGP Steering Committee resolved to proceed with Stage Two Actions. This means the temporary suspension of Georgia’s membership in OGP until the Georgian government meets the recommendations stipulated by OGP to Georgia.
OGP calls on the Georgian government to develop a work plan in cooperation with the C&S (Criteria and Standards) Subcommittee, which would entail the implementation of the following recommendations:
1. The withdrawal of current or proposed legislation that discriminates, stigmatizes, or hinders the freedom of expression and association of civil society organizations, media representatives and vulnerable groups.
2. Safeguard freedoms of expression and assembly, the space for civil society and their ability to operate without physical and verbal attacks, including in election periods.
The Georgian government must submit the requested work plan by March 31, 2025, with milestones for implementation until December 31, 2025. This would align with Georgia’s current OGP Action Plan cycle. The C&S Subcommittee will assess the actions taken by the Georgian government to resolve the issues raised within the framework of the Response Policy by March 31, 2026:
- If the C&S Subcommittee finds that Georgia has taken adequate steps to resolve the issues in question, the Subcommittee will advise the Steering Committee to return the active status to Georgia and that the Response Policy case be closed.
- If Georgia fails to take proper actions by December 31, 2025, the temporary suspension of its membership will become permanent, and Georgia will be expelled from OGP.
At any point during the suspension period the C&S Subcommittee may decide that Georgia has adequately addressed the concerns raised within the framework of the Response Policy and thereby recommend to the Steering Committee that Georgia’s active status be restored.
Georgia joined OGP in 2011 and carried out several significant reforms within its framework. In 2014, Georgia was elected for the first time to OGP’s decision-making body — the Steering Committee. In 2016, Georgia became a co-chair of OGP, and in 2017 took over chairmanship from France for another year.
Georgia hosted the OGP Global Summit in 2018, although during the same period the Georgian government ignored recommendations presented by civil society organizations (CSOs). As a result, NGO members of the OGP Forum addressed the OGP Support Unit with a request to trigger the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM). The process concluded with a promise from the government to involve CSOs to a significant degree in the decision-making process. The Administration of the Government was also determined as the institution responsible for the process, replacing the Ministry of Justice.
Georgia did not submit an Action Plan in 2021 nor 2022, thereby violating the deadlines stipulated by the Open Government Declaration. As a result, Georgia was at risk of receiving the inactive status. The Georgian government finally submitted the 2024-2025 Action Plan on December 29, 2023.
In parallel, the member organizations of the Open Government Georgia Forum addressed the OGP Steering Committee with a letter describing instances of neglect shown towards OGP principles by the Georgian government, triggering another case of the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM).
With the events developing in Georgia in relation to the so-called “Russian Law” since April 2024, the C&S Committee presented Stage One Recommendations to the country on May 6, 2024. The recommendations from OGP that became the prerequisite for Georgia’s continued membership in OGP were putting a stop to verbal and physical attacks and actions discrediting civil society and media representatives, withdrawal of legislation limiting the freedoms of civil society and the media, as well another vulnerable groups, and restoring partnership between civil society and the government.
Despite this, the developments in the country after the publication of Stage One Recommendations made it clear that the Georgian Government did not intend to fulfill the recommendations prior to the stipulated deadline of November 6, 2024. As a result, the OGP Steering Committee resolved to temporarily suspend Georgia’s membership.
It should be noted that a similar situation occurred in Azerbaijan with respect to OGP. Azerbaijan’s membership was temporarily suspended in 2016 against the background of increasing pressure on civil society and the media, which ultimately resulted in Azerbaijan losing its membership entirely in 2023. If Georgia fails to take the appropriate Stage Two Actions by December 31, 2025, it will meet a similar fate. It is important to highlight that in Azerbaijan’s case, the process took almost 7 years, while the rapid development of the process in Georgia’s case points to the severity of the situation in the country.
Other countries that had their OGP membership suspended:
1. Turkey - withdrawn on May 4, 2016.
Reason: Inactivity. Turkey had not presented an Action Plan since 2014.
2. Hungary - withdrawn on December 6, 2016, by request of its government.
Reason: The issue was raised in July 2015, when four organizations addressed OGP with a letter expressing dismay at the worsening situation in Hungary with regard to civil society. The OGP C&S Subcommittee subsequently studied the situation and concluded that Hungary was showing negative trends in relation to civil society, transparency, and pressure on journalistic freedoms.
OGP issued recommendations aimed at improving the situation and invited the Hungarian government for discussions at the 4th Global Summit. Nevertheless, the Hungarian government chose to stop its cooperation with OGP in December 2016.
3. Tanzania - withdrawn on July 1, 2017, by request of its government.
Reason: President Kikwete, who led Tanzania until 2015, was an active supporter of OGP. Unlike his predecessor, however, President Magafuli chose to pursue a different policy. Tanzania did not approve its third Action Plan, while the tightening control over traditional and social media within the country, pressure on the media, restrictions on the activities of opposition parties, and other actions were in sharp opposition with OGP principles. In the end, the Tanzanian government chose to withdraw from OGP.
4. Trinidad and Tobago - withdrawn on December 6, 2019.
Reason: Inactivity. The country had not presented an Action Plan since 2016 and received the inactive status in 2018 as a result. Membership was suspended a year later when no actions were taken to resolve the situation.
5. Pakistan - suspended on March 7, 2022.
Reason: Inactivity. The country had not presented an Action Plan since 2016 and received the inactive status in 2020 as a result. Despite receiving an additional year to develop an action plan as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Pakistan took no actions to resolve the situation, and its membership was suspended.
6. El Salvador - withdrawn on March 24, 2023.
Reason: Inactivity. The country did not submit an Action Plan in 2021 or 2022 and had not shown sufficient progress in implementing the commitments from the previous Action Plan. As a result, it received the inactive status in 2022 and had its membership suspended in 2023.
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