English Section

EU ministers demand impartial inquiry into Georgian elections

29.10.2024 14:30
Thirteen European Union ministers, including Poland's European Affairs Minister Adam Szłapka, have demanded an impartial inquiry into the results of Georgia's disputed parliamentary elections.  
A group of EU ministers has demanded an impartial inquiry into the results of Georgias disputed parliamentary election.
A group of EU ministers has demanded an impartial inquiry into the results of Georgia's disputed parliamentary election.Photo: EPA/DAVID MDZINARISHVILI

Official results said the pro-Russia governing Georgian Dream party won nearly 54 percent of the vote in the October 26 election, but the vote was marred by reports of significant violations, including vote-buying, voter intimidation and ballot-stuffing.

The country's pro-Western President Salome Zourabichvili and opposition parties have rejected the official returns, saying the election was not fair.

Thousands of people protested in the capital Tbilisi on Monday night.

In a joint statement, the EU ministers said on Tuesday they were "deeply concerned about the current situation" in Georgia, noting that "international observers reported violations during the election campaign as well as on election day."

Poland's European Affairs Minister Adam Szłapka visits the embattled Ukrainian port city of Odesa on Friday, June 21, 2024. Poland's European Affairs Minister Adam Szłapka. Photo: PAP/Alena Solomonova

"We condemn all violation of international norms for free and fair elections," the ministers said in their statement.

"We share their concerns and demand an impartial inquiry of complaints and remedy of the violations established," they added.

"We stand in this difficult time at the side of Georgians," they declared, cautioning that "it is important that protests and in particular government reaction to them remain peaceful."

"The violations of electoral integrity are incompatible with the standards expected from a candidate to the European Union," the statement also said. "They are a betrayal of the Georgian people’s legitimate European aspiration. Upholding the rule of law and free and fair elections is integral to any progress on Georgia’s EU path."

The ministers also criticised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's "premature visit to Georgia," saying that "he does not speak on behalf of the EU."

Meanwhile, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili called on Tuesday for international pressure to force a review of the parliamentary elections, saying they were rigged, the Reuters news agency reported.

"This election was stolen," Zourabichvili, an outspoken critic of the Georgian Dream party, said in a media interview, as cited by Reuters.

She added that her country's electoral commission "is completely in the hands of the party that's in power" and called for "very strong pressure by the international community on authorities to accept to really and fully review results," according to Reuters.

Another option would be repeat elections, Zourabichvili was quoted as saying.

Polish President Andrzej Duda on Monday reaffirmed Warsaw’s support for Tbilisi's aspirations to join the European Union and NATO in a phone call with Zourabichvili.

Duda's conversation with Zourabichvili came after the Polish foreign ministry expressed concern over the fairness of the Georgian election.

The results of Saturday's election dealt a blow to Georgia's pro-Western opposition, which seeks to speed up the country's integration with Europe.

(gs)

Source: IAR, PAP, Reuters, gov.pl