Russian delegates of PACE refuse to observe election in Georgia

Sergey Kalashnikov and Vassily Likhachev, members of State Duma, Parliament of Russia and delegate members of Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) dont plan to visit Georgia and observe Georgias presidential election scheduled on October 27.

Both of the State Duma PMs have violated the Georgian law on occupied territories by entering Abkhazia breakaway region of Georgia from a location other than from the territory of Georgia in previous years. If Kalashnikov and Likhachev will enter the Georgia, they could be detained for breaking the national law.

In a brief telephone interview with Georgian Public Broadcast, Kalashnikov said that he did not plan on visiting Georgia because he was abused by the comments that the Georgian government have made towards him. He also denied ever being in Abkhazia.

A 26-member delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), led by Meritxell Mateu Pi, will observe the October 27 presidential election in Georgia.

Meritxell Mateu Pi will be in Georgia from October 25 to 28. According to Council of Europe in Georgia, he will observe the conduct of the presidential election, alongside observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, European Parliament, NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).