Georgian PM: judicial system transformed since 2012, Freedom House report confirms progress

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday hailed the transformation of Georgia’s judicial system since 2012, describing it as one of the country’s most significant achievements.

In his remarks, Kobakhidze highlighted the stark contrast between the pre-2012 era, when the judicial system was “a small instrument of a repressive machine” used for repression, pressure on individuals, and property seizure, and the post-2012 period, which saw a “radical and fundamental” change.

“Before 2012, the judicial system had been turned into a small instrument of a repressive machine, used for repression, pressure on individuals, property seizure, and so on. This situation has radically and fundamentally changed since 2012. Consequently, Freedom House’s assessment is absolutely objective and based on concrete facts”, Kobakhidze said.

The PM criticised politically motivated campaigns against the judiciary, referencing accusations of a so-called “clan” and Soviet-style smear tactics.

“When we confronted politically motivated campaigns against the judiciary, you may recall the attempts at branding, Soviet-style campaigns, talk of a clan, and so forth. We asked our opponents a simple question: to name specific cases where, in their view, unjust decisions were made. They provided no such facts. Instead, politically-motivated campaigns continued, which is alarming”, he noted.

Kobakhidze reaffirmed his Government’s commitment to protecting judicial independence.

“We will not allow anyone to undermine the independence of our justice system. This is one of the most significant achievements our country has made since 2012”, he concluded.

The European Commission, within the framework of Freedom House’s 2025 annual report, has released a global evaluation of judicial independence. The index covers more than 200 countries and territories worldwide, analyzing developments from 2013 to 2025. Using a four-point rating system, the study sought to answer a key question: “Is the judiciary independent?”

According to the report, only five countries in Europe have managed to improve their ratings on judicial independence since 2013: Georgia, Italy, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Albania.