Only when external actors coordinate their long-term approaches and address specific context will it be possible to help Georgia consolidate democracy effectively. This paper, published by Democratization, analyses the efforts of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to promote democracy after intra-state war in Georgia. OSCE’s overall effectiveness in Georgia has been positive; however, it can only reach its democracy promotion goals if the state government has the will to reform.
OSCE democracy programmes include promotion of democratic institutions, human rights and the rule of law. Its approach identifies three security dimensions: politico-military, economic and environmental/human. Since Georgia became an OSCE participating state in 1992, the OSCE has implemented various democracy efforts to reform the country’s political and social framework.
However, OSCE democracy promotion has been continually interrupted by political and intrastate conflicts. Since achieving independence in 1991, Georgia has experienced violent regional conflicts and a coup d’état. Political and cultural fragmentation and deterioration of governance escalated under President Shevardnadze. The 2003 Rose Revolution and concentration of power under President Saakashvili further hampered democracy promotion.
Measured by progress in peace and democratic quality, overall OSCE democracy promotion in Georgia has to be called into question. However, the OSCE has achieved the following modest democracy promotion gains:
- OSCE election monitoring has provided an impartial analysis of non-election processes and underscored demands for free and fair elections.
- Local government support has included development of a national association of local councils and facilitated public discussion on legislative changes for local self-government.
- Support for an effective parliament has been hampered by the country’s ‘super-presidential’ system. However, the OSCE has begun to sensitise members of parliament to their roles as legislators and supervisors of the executive.
- Support for an independent media has included substantial training in professional skills; however, opposition media continue to be harassed by state government.
- Its conflict intervention efforts have reflected democratic values during negotiation processes and helped build confidence between conflict parties. It has proceeded with sensitivity towards specific country conditions and built confidence with its Georgian partners.
- It has helped generate and coordinate the division of tasks among different donor institutions so as to avoid overlaps and ensure a common approach.
Despite its overall positive OSCE achievements, Georgia’s ability to implement democracy programmes has been continually hampered by the lack of government political will and reform orientation. The following guidelines would assist external democracy promoters to find ways to influence this lack of will:
- Conduct a full needs assessment and analysis of the target country’s interests;
- Keep democracy promotion goals realistic and proceed in small steps;
- Continually adapt reform measures to the demands of the local situation and be patient and persevering; and
- Keep in mind that a long-term external presence on the ground facilitates confidence-building, sensitivity and adaptability.
