GYLA: 'Georgian Dream’s draft laws aim to establish authoritarian rule'

Georgian Dream’s authoritarian laws

The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) states that the goal of the draft laws initiated by the Georgian Dream party is to establish authoritarian one-party rule in the country.

According to GYLA, Georgian Dream is seeking to eliminate its political opponents — a move that contradicts the principle of pluralist democracy and disproportionately restricts the activities of not only current but also future political parties.

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The proposed legislation specifically refers to a draft law that would allow the Constitutional Court to ban political parties it deems identical to those it has already declared unconstitutional. Georgian Dream intends to introduce this change to the Law on Political Associations of Citizens.

Put simply, the Constitutional Court of Georgia — which many believe is heavily influenced by Georgian Dream — would be able to “abolish” any parties the ruling party dislikes. At least, that is how a number of independent legal experts interpret the proposed change.

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“When Georgian Dream has effectively captured nearly all democratic institutions, including the Constitutional Court, it can be expected that the party will easily ban political organisations and dismantle the political spectrum without any necessary legal justification, factual evidence, or adherence to international standards on freedom of association,” the Association’s statement reads.