Introduction

On November 28, 2024, the so-called Prime Minister of "Georgian Dream," Irakli Kobakhidze, announced his government’s decision to suspend negotiations on Georgia’s accession to the European Union until the end of 2028. This illegal decision, which blatantly contradicts Article 78 of the Constitution of Georgia as well as the will of the huge majority of the Georgian population who support Georgia’s EU membership, outraged a large portion of the Georgian public, including those employed in the public service sector. Thousands of public servants signed collective statements expressing support for Article 78 of the Constitution and for Georgia’s integration into the European Union.

In response to this development, the de facto government implemented mass repressive measures against public servants loyal to the Constitution. In December 2024, emergency amendments were made to the “Law on Public Service,” which significantly reduced the legal guarantees protecting public servants and simplified mechanisms for their dismissal from public service in various forms. Consequently, from the beginning of 2025, these legislative "innovations" led to mass dismissals of public servants. As of April 2025, approximately 700 individuals had been dismissed from public service. However, illegal and arbitrary dismissals continue, and the current number of those dismissed is likely much higher.

This report summarizes the trends identified during the provision of legal assistance by "Transparency International Georgia" to individuals dismissed from public service.

General Information on Assistance Provided to Former Public Servants

To protect the labor rights of individuals employed in public institutions, starting from January 1, 2025, "Transparency International Georgia" launched a hotline through which more than 100 individuals contacted the organization. These individuals were employed in ministries, executive bodies of local self-government units, legal entities of public law (LEPLs), and non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entities (N(N)LEs) established by the state.

The majority of these individuals indicated that the violation of their labor rights by the employer was motivated by their signing of a collective statement (petition). According to the petition, they affirmed their commitment to the obligations outlined in Article 78 of the Constitution of Georgia.

Documentation was reviewed in the cases of 58 individuals who contacted the hotline, and lawsuits were prepared for 46 cases. Of these, 40 lawsuits were filed with the Tbilisi City Court, and 6 with district courts.

General Trends

In the initial stage, beginning January 1, 2025, public employees hired on the basis fixed-term employment contracts were terminated on the pretext of expiration of those contracts. For those employed on an indefinite term, disciplinary proceedings were initiated.

It is worth noting that employment was terminated on the basis of contract expiration even for those employees who had been continuously employed for over 30 months. According to Article 12, Paragraph 4 of the Labor Code of Georgia, such employment should have been considered indefinite.

In the next phase, starting from February 2025, employees were dismissed from public institutions as a result of reorganization. Reorganization also began in state-established early childhood education institutions.

As part of the reorganization, employees were dismissed from the Ministry of Defense of Georgia—individuals who had worked in the agency for decades, had been officially commended for more than 10 years of impeccable service, and had completed numerous training programs abroad. Additionally, the majority of the dismissed individuals were signatories of the joint employee statement published in December 2024.

Categories of Disputes and General Statistics

Out of the 46 current cases, 27 fall under the jurisdiction of the Civil Law Chamber. Of these:

• 11 cases concern termination of employment due to the expiration of a contract;
• 6 cases involve the imposition of disciplinary responsibility;
• 7 cases relate to dismissals resulting from reorganization;
• 3 cases challenge the termination of employment due to the liquidation of a legal entity under public law.

Of the 19 cases being heard in the Administrative Law Chamber:

• 11 involve dismissals from held positions due to reorganization;
• 3 concern the legality of terminating administrative contracts;
• 1 challenges the legality of an order on the liquidation of a legal entity under public law;
• 2 involve dismissals due to alleged improper performance of duties;
• 1 case seeks to nullify an order by the LEPL Labor Inspection Office and to establish a case of discrimination;
• 1 case disputes the legality of an order to dismiss an individual from the LEPL Security Police Department based on a complaint.

Of these lawsuits:

• 13 were filed against the Ministry of Defense of Georgia;
• 7 against the LEPL National Agency of Public Registry under the Ministry of Justice of Georgia;
• 7 were filed against the Parliament of Georgia.

Progress of Dispute Review

A total of 46 lawsuits have been accepted by the courts. From January to June 2025, court hearings were scheduled for 9 cases, with a total of 14 hearings held. As of now, no court decisions have been made in these cases.

Additionally, for 5 cases, the court ordered mandatory mediation, and these cases were referred to the Court Mediation Center.

Difficulties and Challenges

·  The amendments to the Law of Georgia on Public Service have significantly worsened the legal status of employed persons and abolished legal protection mechanisms.

·  The review of labor disputes in court is delayed, with hearings scheduled for only 9 out of 47 cases at this stage.

· Public institutions provide documentation late and incompletely, which causes further delays in court proceedings.

Summary

A significant portion of public servants loyal to the Constitution of Georgia and the country’s historic strategic choice is being persecuted by the de facto government simply because they openly expressed support for Georgia’s accession to the European Union. As of April, approximately 700 individuals had been dismissed from public service. However, illegal and arbitrary dismissals continue, and the current number of those dismissed is likely much higher.

"Transparency International Georgia" has so far provided consultations to nearly 60 individuals and is representing 46 of them in civil and administrative disputes in Georgian courts. Our organization will continue to provide legal assistance to those unlawfully and arbitrarily dismissed from public service and will keep the public informed about emerging trends in this assistance process.