The Expert Council on NGO Law, an expert body of the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe, has just published two opinions on recent legal changes introduced in Georgia earlier this month and in Greece in February, that particularly affect civil society activities.
Georgia's amendments to the Law "On Grants", the Organic Law "On Political Unions of Citizens", the Criminal Code and certain other related laws were adopted by the Parliament on 4 March 2026. The Expert Council finds that the restrictions effected by these changes will seriously impact the rights to freedom of association and of expression, as well as the benefit of the right to respect for private life and the ability to take part in legislative elections. Many provisions do not fulfil the "prescribed by law" requirement and there are serious grounds for doubting whether most have a legitimate aim. Moreover, having regard to the scope of the restrictions and the consequences of non-compliance with requirements interfering with the exercise of rights under the European Convention on Human Rights, it is not possible to regard the vast majority of these provisions as necessary in a democratic society. In the circumstances, the adoption of the Laws will further exacerbate the grave and unjustified damage that has already been caused to civil society in Georgia and is inconsistent with a wide range of commitments that this member State of the Council of Europe has undertaken.
Concerning Greece's Law on the Promotion of Legal Migration Policies adopted by the Hellenic Parliament on 5 February 2026, the Expert Council finds that provisions which are focused or have a particular impact on NGOs and their workers supporting migrants in Greece are incompatible with European standards protecting freedom of association and severely curtail civil society space. Instead of putting an end to the criminalisation of humanitarian workers, the Law introduces an enhanced sentencing regime for those who provide humanitarian support to migrants, which significantly increases applicable fines and terms of imprisonment and reclassifies some of these aggravated offences from misdemeanours to felony offences. Migrants associated with NGOs who are accused of such offences face the immediate loss of their resident status, and NGOs whose members have been accused of crimes face de-registration and the end of their crucial work. These provisions are not strictly necessary or proportionate in a democratic society as is required when imposing restrictions on fundamental rights and freedoms and it would be appropriate to repeal the provisions, according to the opinion.
Opinion on Georgia's legal amendments
Opinion on Greece's Law on the Promotion of Legal Migration Policies
Expert Council's studies and previous opinions on these and other countries
