Ladies and gentlemen,

I am delighted to welcome you to this EU-funded event dedicated to the advancement of media freedom in Georgia.

Only when journalists have unrestricted access to information, are able to report freely and safely, and can voice their opinions without fear of retribution, all individuals are able to think freely and to take informed decisions.

This is especially relevant in an election context, because a well-informed electorate can scrutinise political campaigns, assess the credibility of candidates, and make informed choices during elections.

Therefore it is a vital topic at a vital moment for Georgia. As we meet here in Tbilisi, leaders of the 27 EU Member states are meeting in Brussels to discuss some of the most pressing global issues. The fact that Georgia is on their agenda, just as it was recently on the agenda of EU Foreign Ministers meeting, and of the European Parliament, shows how much we care about Georgia, but also how concerned we are about the developments in Georgia. It is truly alarming that in the European Council’s conclusions leaders of 27 EU member states stressed the need to protect a free and pluralistic media in Georgia.

We are deeply alarmed about the trajectory of Georgia. In less than one year, we went from the historic decision of granting Georgia EU candidate status to stopping Georgia’s EU accession process, suspending high-level contacts and cutting our financial assistance. We were forced to do it in response to democratic backsliding, anti-EU disinformation and hostile rhetoric of Georgian authorities. This is clearly not what we had hoped for or expected for.  But, these are the consequences of actions, statements and electoral promises of Georgian government, parliament and the ruling party.

How did we arrive to this point?

According to the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index, Georgia ranked 77th out of 180 countries in 2023. But this indicator has dropped significantly in 2024, changing Georgia’s position to 103rd worldwide.

This substantial decline has for sure several reasons, but it can be also attributed to the introduction of the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, formerly known as Foreign Agents law.

The dramatic effects of this law are already clear. It has made the work of journalists far more dangerous, burdensome and unsafe. It has stigmatised reporters and investigative journalists and resulted in attacks online and in person. It has created existential threats to independent media outlets and severely impacted their ability to help Georgians make informed decisions, debunk disinformation and act as watchdogs.

When you foster a culture of fear and retribution, when you resort to legislation in order to curb freedom of speech and expression through stigmatisation, hefty fines and potential exposure of sources, you damage one of the foundations of democracy.

One of the studies that will be presented today finds that:

•   65% of interviewed journalists feel unprotected while performing their professional duties after the initiation of the law. Additionally, 39% of the journalists highlighted cases of surveillance and 30% revealed incidents of damaging personal property.

•   82% of the respondents reported that government’s aggression towards them has grown throughout the last 6 months. Journalists are also reporting more cases of hate speech, defamation, verbal abuse, cyber threats, censure, and disinformation directed at them since the initiation of the law.

These results are truly alarming and unfit for a country which aspires to join the European Union. As HRVP Borrell said a few days ago, this signals a shift towards authoritarianism, and take Georgia away from the EU path.

Ladies and gentlemen, when representatives of the media are no longer safe, or no longer feel safe, they are no longer free.

The upcoming elections will be a test for Georgia’s democracy and its European Union path. It is my sincere hope that Georgia’s press freedom rankings will improve dramatically in 2025.

Thank you for your attention.

EUDEL