The report on Georgia notes on the progress made in the implementation of ENP Action Plan priorities throughout 2010 in the following areas: reforming the justice system, improving the conduct of elections, increasing women’s rights, carrying out constitutional reform, reforms in trade and business related areas and regional development, as well as substantially curbing administrative corruption.
Though aimed at ensuring a more balanced separation of powers, according to the report “the new amendments do not guarantee parliament’s oversight function as they make it very difficult for parliament to mount a vote of no confidence in the government. The process and pace of the constitutional reform were also criticized, as the constitution was adopted by the parliament on the same day that the final opinion of the Council of Europe’s (CoE) Venice Commission was published.”
“Progress was also noted on strengthening the independence of the judiciary, as the new constitution provides for judges to be appointed for life. However, the CoE Venice Commission and the civil society expressed concern over the long probation periods before appointment. Judges on probation are more exposed to political influence,” states the report.
The report states that Georgia was relatively successful in curbing administrative corruption since the Rose Revolution and progress was noted in criminalizing corruption, avoiding conflict of interest and protecting whistleblowers. However, according to the report “concerns remain on corruption at political level, not least because of weak control over political party financing, the lack of transparency in procurement and privatization processes, weak accountability of high-ranking officials for reserve funds, insufficient protection of property rights and a lack of transparency in media financing and ownership.”
Inhuman and degrading detention conditions often caused by overcrowding in prisons are noted to be a major area of human rights concern. “The treatment and situation of psychiatric patients is also of concern. Limited progress was noted in the improvement of material conditions in prisoners and in police detention establishments and in the provision of legal aid to persons in police custody.”
As for the media situation, according to the report “the lack of transparency of media ownership and the difficulty of access to public information continues to pose serious problems for the independent media in Georgia.”
As for the minority rights, the report states that “there has been no progress reported on the integration and the rights of ethnic, religious and sexual minorities in Georgia.”
Nino Tsagareishvili
