US officials applaud PM Kvirikashvili’s election appeal

High officials from the United States (US) are welcoming Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili’s election appeal, where he highlighted the importance of hosting a free and transparent Parliamentary Election and the necessary for everyone to behave appropriately.

US Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Bridget Brink and  Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Thomas Melia both said PM Kvirikashvili’s appeal on adopting a Code of Conduct for Political Parties in the Election Period, as well as imposing restrictions on use of administrative resources, could only be applauded. 

The two US envoys voiced this comment after yesterday’s US-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership Commission’s Democracy and Governance Working Group meeting, held in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi. 

This was the ninth meeting of this format and it focused on a wide range of issues related to Georgia-US strategic relations including economic, political and security topics. 

As Georgia is in the pre-election period ahead of the October 8 Parliamentary Elections, the meeting also discussed Georgia’s pre-election environment and all sides stressed the importance of free and transparent elections. 

We are glad that Prime Minister Kvirikashvili made the statement and urged state employees to refrain from acting inappropriately in this pre-election period. The use of administrative resources in the pre-election period was a problem in Georgia and in many other countries. Now it is important the Government explains to public servants and the rest of the population what the wrong use of administrative resource means, and remind them the process will be closely monitored,” Melia said. 

Meanwhile Brink stressed the US supported Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic intentions and the October elections would be an important step that would show Georgia truly was moving towards democracy.

We are Georgia’s friends and as friends we can say that it this important that the pre-election period is  free from violence and it is the Government’s responsibility to ensure this,” Brink said. 

I welcome the PM’s constructive tone in the pre-election period and his appeal to police to ensure order,” Brink added. 

Georgia’s Deputy Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani noted it was the wish both of Georgia and the US that the upcoming elections are held in the highest standards.

Zalkaliani said yesterday’s meeting was "very positive” and stressed the US was very satisfied with Georgia’s democratic progress. 

He also noted the US had offered its recommendations in terms of several reforms and Georgia was ready to take them into account as it continued on this path.