Source: European Parliament
with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
Petr Bystron, Tomasz Froelich, Hans Neuhoff, Alexander Sell
on behalf of the ESN Group
NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.
B10‑0288/2025
Motion for a European Parliament resolution on media freedom in Georgia, particularly the case of Mzia Amaglobeli
The European Parliament,
having regard to Rule 150 (5) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas, on 12 January 2025 Mzia Amaglobeli, journalist, was arrested on 12 January 2025
after slapping Batumi police chief Irakli Dgebuadze in the face, which was classified as a criminal offense of “assaulting a police offer” under Article 353 of the Criminal Code of Georgia;
B. whereas the Batumi City Court hearings in the trial have been attended by diplomats from different EU Member States;
C. whereas Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is pushing the EU to suspend or limit Georgia’s visa-free travel;
1. Emphasises that the arrest of Amaglobeli happened within the context of the street protests of the opposition, demanding a re-run of the parliamentary elections of October 2024 and that the trial is taking place against the background of a very polarised political environment;
2. Affirms that the parliamentary elections of 26 October 2024 were free and fair, conducted in broad compliance with national and international legal standards and that the Georgian people made a clear choice regarding the composition of their new government;
3. Is concerned about the active involvement of foreign actors in actions of the opposition, aimed at overthrowing the elected government through street power and other extra-constitutional means; warns the EU that by supporting efforts to overturn a legitimate election result because of dissatisfaction with its outcome, it is undermining democracy in Georgia and fuelling polarisation and instability;
4. Considers that decisive in the conflict between civil society organisations (CSOs) and the ruling Georgian Dream party, is the partisan role that many opposition-linked CSOs have taken, agitating for the overthrow of the government; notes, furthermore, that there is a lack of public trust in CSOs due to a mismatch between the issues CSOs work on and the economic concerns of the majority of the population;
5. Calls on the EU to end its confrontational approach and to avoid a black-and-white contrast between the different parties; urges the EU to recognise the complexity of the situation in Georgia and not to continue its current policy, which only increases the polarisation of Georgian society and politics;
6. Notes that the online media environment in Georgia is diverse and that content on a wide range of topics is available; notes that the online environment is free due to strong internet access and limited website blocking; notes that there are few explicit restrictions on internet access and online content; notes that, in general, online content is not subject to deletion, and government requests to remove online content are relatively rare;
7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the European External Action Service, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and the President, government and parliament of Georgia.