US and EU call for investigation into Georgian elections after reports of intimidation and irregularities

The EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged an investigation into Georgia’s parliamentary elections following reports of irregularities in statements made on October 27.

The Moscow-friendly Georgian Dream party almost won 54% of the votes in the October 26 elections, but international observers also did not announce the results neither free nor fair.

Pro-EU opposition parties have challenged the ruling party’s victory, and President Salome Zourabichvili said on October 27 that she would do so. not recognize the results and called for mass protests.

‘We appeal to the Central Election Commission Georgia and other relevant authorities to fulfill their duty to promptly, transparently and independently investigate and adjudicate electoral irregularities and allegations thereof.” Borel said in a statement.

“We condemn all violations of international standards and join the calls of international and local observers for a full investigation into all reports of election-related violations.”

Blink encouraged “Georgia’s political leaders to respect the rule of law, repeal legislation that undermines fundamental freedoms, and work together to address shortcomings in the electoral process.”

“While international and local observers agreed that election day was generally well managed, we noted reports of irregularities and sporadic violence. International observers have not declared the outcome free and fair,” the US chief diplomat said.

After the results of the October 26 vote were announced, Georgian opposition groups refused to recognize the outcome, saying the election had been stolen. They pointed to election observers reporting various violations across the country, including voter fraud and voter intimidation.

According to a report by the Election Observation Mission led by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), “Election Day… was characterized by a tense atmosphere, with frequent compromises on voting secrecy and several procedural inconsistencies, as well as reports of intimidation and pressure on voters… especially public sector voters.”

The Georgian Dream Party, founded by oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, has brought the country closer to Moscow, hampering EU aspirations. Tbilisi’s approval of the controversial Foreign Agents Act led earlier this year to the EU effectively freezing Georgia’s accession process, even though the country was granted candidate status last December.

Tbilisi’s relations with Washington have also deteriorated in recent months as the US began to curb its policies partnership programs and sanctions imposed against it Georgian officials.