On August 20, fifty-one members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), representing 24 member states, signed a statement titled "Authoritarian Regression in Georgia." The signatories warned Georgian authorities that if progress in "moving away from authoritarianism" is not observed, they will "question the credentials of the Georgian delegation on the merits and call on the Assembly and the Council of Ministers to initiate the procedure for Georgia’s exclusion for serious violations of the fundamental principles of the Council of Europe, as set out in Article 3 of the Statute."

The appeal references PACE Resolution 2585, adopted on January 29, 2025, which ratified the Georgian delegation's credentials on the condition that the country met specific democratic criteria by April 2025. These conditions included releasing political prisoners and holding new parliamentary elections under improved electoral conditions.

"However, the situation has deteriorated sharply," the document states. "Opposition leaders have been imprisoned. Civil society activists and journalists are facing politically motivated criminal prosecutions. These are no longer isolated cases, but a systematic campaign to eliminate democratic opposition, restrict freedom of speech, and suppress civil society."

PACE members also noted that the Georgian delegation had unilaterally withdrawn its credentials from the Assembly. "This path of repression and refusal to participate violates Georgia’s commitments as a member of the Council of Europe and is contrary to the authority of the Assembly. The Assembly must adhere to its rules and resolutions. Ignoring authoritarian backsliding within a member state undermines the very foundation of this institution," the statement concludes.

Commenting on the statement, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze criticized the European bureaucracy for "complete absurdity," remarking that PACE is demanding the suspension of a status that Georgia has already "suspended on its own." This development follows a debate on the situation in Georgia held during a PACE session on June 26, where many participants emphasized that membership in the European community presupposes adherence to the rights enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights and the protection of democracy.