Government instructs Sida to stop all direct governmental agency cooperation with Georgia

The decision aims to send a clear signal to the Georgian Dream political party that the suppression of peaceful demonstrations, opposition politicians, civil rights activists and independent media representatives in Georgia is unacceptable. Swedish development assistance will instead be focused more on strengthening civil society in Georgia.

“The Swedish Government has made it clear to Georgian Dream how seriously we regard the restrictions of democratic rights and freedoms in the country. Georgian Dream have introduced legislation inspired by Russia’s agent laws and accused the West of wanting to drag Georgia into Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. 

Developments following the parliamentary election in October have led to a further deterioration. The Government does not see any possibility of continuing to pursue the kind of reform cooperation that Sweden and Georgia have carried out so successfully for nearly two decades. This must be seen as a clear signal. 

With this decision, the Government is also looking into the possibility of further increasing Swedish support to Georgian civil society to help with its democratic development,” says Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa.

On 24 October 2024, the Government instructed Sida to pause the remainder of its direct government agency cooperation with Georgia as a consequence of developments in the country. The Government decision today entails a formal termination of this kind of cooperation.