Alain Berset, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, met with 3 of Georgia’s 4 opposition groups that secured seats in the Parliament following the October 26 elections.

Participants discussed “challenges” amid protests over the Government’s decision not to include European Union accession talks in its agenda until 2028.

In a social media post, Berset described the exchange in Tbilisi as “frank and productive”, noting it had provided an “opportunity to listen to their concerns and address current challenges”.

The opposition groups represented in the talks were the Unity - National Movement, Gakharia for Georgia, and Strong Georgia. Leaders of the Coalition for Change, Elene Khoshtaria and Zurab Girchi Japaridze, refused to meet with Berset, citing concerns over the visit’s “failure to address key human rights issues”.

Japaridze expressed dissatisfaction, saying Berset should have prioritized visiting the “devastated people”, including going to prisons and engaging directly with citizens on Rustaveli Avenue as part of the protests. Khoshtaria also criticized the visit, claiming the country’s authorities had “used it to portray themselves as a legitimate Government following the rigged October general elections”.

Berset arrived in Georgia on December, 18. He already met with the Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, the Honorary Chairman of Georgian dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili.