Georgian PM highlights conversation with European Council President over alleged election irregularities

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday said he had held a conversation with Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, on Thursday to discuss alleged irregularities in last month’s general elections in the country.

Kobakhidze said the discussion took place on  the sidelines of the European Political Community Summit in Budapest, and included the sides noting calls by international partners, particularly from the United States and European Union member states, for an investigation into the alleged election violations.

I explained to him that a number of [partners] were asking for an investigation. I reminded him of remarks by Borrell's [and the US] State Department, who were talking about a national investigation to be carried out by Georgian, constitutional bodies”, Kobakhidze said in reference to calls by  [ the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy], who called on the Central Election Commission of Georgia and “relevant authorities” to investigate and address alleged electoral irregularities and allegations of misconduct in the general elections, and by the United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who urged Georgia’s political leaders to “respect the rule of law, repeal legislation that undermines fundamental freedoms, and address deficiencies in the electoral process together”.

I explained to [Michel] that the CEC had appealed to the Prosecutor’s Office [ on October 29 against claims of election fraud by the domestic opposition, and the next day the investigation was launched”, he said.

Kobakhidze added Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili had been summoned to the Prosecutor's Office for an interview on her claims of election fraud, adding the US State Department had called on her to cooperate with the investigation, but said Zourabichvili had “refused and did not consider the call”.

The PM also said “everyone should draw their own conclusions” from the development involving the President, adding the President of the European Council would “probably draw his conclusions".