The European People’s Party (EPP):

1. Whereas we express serious concern about the dramatic authoritarian decline in Georgia and the ongoing constitutional, political and human rights crisis in the country since the Georgian Dream’s announcement that Georgia suspends its EU integration process;
2. Whereas the Georgian authorities have continued a systematic crackdown on political opposition, civil society, independent media and peaceful protesters, including through politically motivated arrests, prosecutions, intimidation and repressive legislation;
3. Whereas the arrest of Giorgi Baramidze, a senior opposition politician and leader of the United National Movement on 11 September 2026 on charges of treason represents a further escalation in the use of criminal law against political opponents and demonstrates the increasing criminalization of political expression;
4. Whereas the judiciary continues to be utilised as a tool of political repression rather than as an independent guarantor of the rule of law;
5. Whereas the growing internal fragmentation of the Georgian Dream has been accompanied by an unprecedented purge of former senior officials and figures associated with previous leadership circles, including through dismissals, investigations, arrests and criminal proceedings against former-high ranking government officials; these development demonstrate growing instability within the ruling establishment and raise serious concerns that selective anti-corruption prosecutions and the criminal justice system are increasingly being used as instruments of intra-regime consolidation and tightening political control;
6. Whereas the Georgian Dream has renewed public rhetoric about banning EPP member United National Movement and other democratic opposition parties through a sham Constitutional Court process, threatening political pluralism and creating the conditions for the consolidation of a one-party dictatorship;
7. Whereas fundamental freedoms of assembly, expression and association continue to be severely restricted, while credible allegations of excessive use of force, torture and ill-treatment of protesters remain insufficiently investigated;
8. Whereas attacks against independent civil society, media and academic institutions, as well as intimidation and dismissal of civil servants have further undermined democratic institutions;

Therefore, the EPP:

1. Reiterates its solidarity with the people of Georgia in their legitimate, constitutionally guaranteed rights for democracy, fundamental freedoms, sovereignty and a European future;
2. Strongly condemns the arrest of Giorgi Baramidze on unequivocally political charges and calls for the release of all political prisoners, including Third President Mikheil Saakashvili and an immediate termination of all politically motivated proceedings;
3. Urges the Georgian authorities to abandon proceedings aimed at banning democratic opposition parties, including the EPP member United National Movement and to respect political pluralism and the right of citizens to freely choose their political representatives;
4. Calls for independent international investigations into allegations of torture, ill-treatment, excessive use of force and other human rights violations committed against peaceful protesters and those responsible to be held accountable;
5. Calls on the EU and its Member States to strengthen targeted sanctions and other restrictive measures against individuals responsible for political repression, human rights violations, electoral manipulation and the capture of democratic institutions;
6. Stresses that the Georgian Dream is fully responsible for the consequences regarding the possible suspension of the visa free regime for certain categories of Georgian citizens under the Article 8a(1)(h) of the revised Regulation (EU) 2018/1806; and calls on the European Commission to ensure that is applied in a targeted manner for individuals holding positions of responsibility and their families;