At the meeting of the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (hereinafter – the Assembly), held in Riga on 15–16 May, particular attention was devoted to developments in Hungary and Georgia. The Chair of the Monitoring Committee and Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, described the situation in several Council of Europe member states as cause for serious concern.
“In certain European countries, we are witnessing an increasing tendency to curb the work of non-governmental organisations. This is deeply troubling, as civil society is a cornerstone of democracy – it gives voice to the public and defends their interests,” stressed Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica.
Hungary is currently considering a draft law that would impose further restrictions on the work of non-governmental organisations (hereinafter – NGOs), particularly limiting their ability to receive funding from foreign sources, including programmes of the European Union. The Monitoring Committee, in cooperation with the Venice Commission, has analysed the compatibility of such measures with Council of Europe standards and assessed the potential risks posed to freedom of expression and the viability of civil society.
The draft report on Hungary will be reviewed at the next meeting of the Monitoring Committee, scheduled for June.
Similar worrisome trends have also emerged in Georgia, where legislative proposals seek to restrict both NGO and media operations, particularly with respect to funding. Given the ongoing democratic regression observed in Georgia, the Monitoring Committee and the Venice Commission will continue to monitor the situation closely.
“We fully recognise the risks posed when the banner of ‘combating foreign interference’ is used to mask attempts to stifle democratic processes and suppress diverse viewpoints. The boundary is narrow, but there is a profound difference between transparent international support and malign interference,” Kalniņa-Lukaševica emphasised.
To facilitate discussion with European parliamentarians on the situations in Georgia and Hungary, the meeting was attended – at the special invitation of Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica – by Claire Bazy Malaurie, President of the Venice Commission, and Michael O’Flaherty, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. In March of this year, Commissioner O’Flaherty published a report highlighting developments in several countries, including Georgia and Hungary.
“Threats to democracy are on the rise – we urgently need new preventive tools. In a number of countries, democratic deterioration is clearly visible. In cases like Georgia, early signs of an approaching crisis were apparent, yet prevention failed. Even now, similar trends are re-emerging elsewhere, while effective mechanisms for timely response remain lacking,” Kalniņa-Lukaševica warned.
The Chair of the Monitoring Committee stressed that recognising the warning signs and expressing condemnation is not enough. It is essential to actively pursue new solutions and develop tools that enable early identification and prevention of democratic backsliding before it escalates into serious crises. Accordingly, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica added the issue of early warning and conflict prevention mechanisms to the meeting agenda.
During the session in Riga, the Monitoring Committee also evaluated the situation in Serbia, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, and Türkiye. More than 30 parliamentarians from various European countries participated in the Riga meeting, including the President of the Assembly, Theodoros Rousopoulos.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe serves as the Council’s parliamentary arm and is one of its most prominent institutions. The Assembly closely follows political developments throughout Europe and is committed to upholding the Council of Europe’s core values and standards. Its mission is to promote and safeguard human rights, the rule of law, and democratic governance across all European nations. Established in 1949, the Assembly currently brings together 46 European states.
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Saeima Press Service
