European Parliament calls for new elections in Georgia

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the 26 October parliamentary elections in Georgia, an EU candidate country.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) said the elections were neither free nor fair, representing yet another manifestation of the continued democratic backsliding of the country “for which the ruling Georgian Dream party is fully responsible”. 

MEPs denounced the numerous and serious electoral violations, including documented cases of intimidation of voters, vote manipulation, interference with election observers and media, and reported manipulation involving electronic voting machines. The vote results announced by the country’s Central Election Commission “do not serve as a reliable representation of the will of the Georgian people”, they added. Parliament wants the elections re-run within a year under thorough international supervision and by an independent election administration.

Parliament also wants the EU and its member states to impose personal sanctions on the officials and political leaders in Georgia who are responsible for democratic backsliding, violations of electoral laws and standards, and the misuse of state institutions. This includes Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Mayor of Tbilisi and Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party Kakha Kaladze, Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili and former Prime Minister and oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili. 

MEPs also call on the EU to severely restrict formal EU-level contacts with the Georgian government and parliament, while stating clearly that Georgia, as a result of recently adopted anti-democratic legislation, including the ‘law on transparency and foreign influence’, has already had its EU integration process effectively suspended.

Parliament also strongly condemned Russia’s systematic interference in Georgia’s democratic processes.

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