Brussels 28.10.2024 The EU looks forward to the final OSCE/ODIHR report and recommendations, which should be implemented as soon as possible, the EU diplomacy spokesperson said, while commenting on the results of elections in Georgia, Caucasus.

The EU top diplomat Josep Borrell issued a statement after the results were announced:
“The EU has been following the developments leading to the parliamentary elections closely. Over the past months, the people of Georgia have demonstrated their attachment to democratic values and their country’s EU path.

“According to the preliminary findings and conclusions of the International Election Observation Mission led by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), “election day was generally procedurally well-organised and administered in an orderly manner but marked by a tense environment, with frequent compromises in vote secrecy and several procedural inconsistencies, as well as reports of intimidation and pressure on voters that negatively impacted public trust in the process. Reports of pressure on voters, particularly on public sector employees, remained widespread in the campaign. This, coupled with extensive tracking of voters on election day, raised concerns about the ability of some voters to cast their vote without fear of retribution.”

“Moreover, election observers report an uneven level playing field, a divisive campaign in polarised atmosphere and significant concerns over the impact of recent legislative amendments on this election process.

“We call on the Central Election Commission of Georgia and other relevant authorities to fulfil their duty to swiftly, transparently and independently investigate and adjudicate electoral irregularities and allegations thereof. Those irregularities must be clarified and addressed. That is a necessary step to re-building trust in the electoral process”.

Georgia’s President Salome Zourabichvili said she did not recognize the results of the country’s parliamentary vote and said Georgia was the victim of a “Russian special operation” which was aimed at taking away the country’s European future.

Zourabichvili is a former French diplomat, currently serving as the Vth president of Georgia since December 2018. She is the nation’s first female, and foreign-born President. In accordance with the Constitution changes coming into effect in 2024, Zourabichvili is expected to be last president elected in a direct popular vote; the future heads of state will be elected by a parliamentary college of electors.