OSCE PA leaders: 'political actors in Georgia should resolve deadlock, participate in the work of the new parliament'
Opposition politicians claim that the recent parliamentary elections were rigged in favour of the ruling Georgian Dream party. Photo: OSCE PA/Twitter.
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OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA) leaders say that following the October 31 parliamentary elections political actors in Georgia should resolve the political deadlock and participate in the work of the new parliament in order to ensure that the voters’ will is respected.
Amidst demands by the opposition for repeat parliamentary elections in #Georgia, three #OSCEPA leaders stressed that political deadlock must be overcome to respect the voters’ will. Click here ➡️ https://t.co/iK8AovXKW0 @EGjebrea @PiaKauma @RepRichHudson @HelsinkiComm pic.twitter.com/wINupAA0hk
— OSCE PA (@oscepa) November 17, 2020
Despite the grave challenges posed by the COVID pandemic, up to two million Georgian citizens went to the polls on October 31 to make their voices heard. The highest voter turnout since parliamentary elections in 2012 was a testament to the importance of these elections and the strong democratic commitment of all Georgians”, said Special Coordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE election mission Elona Gjebrea Hoxha (MP, Albania).
Hoxha noted the importance of ensuring an inclusive process of reviewing complaints. She said such a process is critical to maintaining Georgian voters’ confidence in the electoral processes developed in recent years.
Now that this process is concluded all political parties elected should take their mandates, enter parliament, and continue their work within the institutions”, said Hoxha.
Finnish parliamentarian Pia Kauma, the Head of the OSCE PA’s delegation observers, said that the October 31 elections were competitive, and, overall, fundamental freedoms were respected.
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Kauma urged stakeholders to overcome the current polarisation and to work together for a stable political framework.
United States Congressman Richard Hudson, who serves as Chair of the OSCE PA’s Committee on Political Affairs and Security said that the parties involved in the political deadlock need to find a way to overcome it.
The complexity of this task is clear, a positive outcome is vital for Georgia’s democratic future”, he said, adding that Georgia can continue to count on the support of its partners, including those on the ground who are doing ‘an admirable job in trying to help the parties reach agreement’.
The ruling Georgian Dream party says it will not consider holding repeat parliamentary elections, Tbilisi Mayor and the ruling party secretary general Kakha Kaladze has announced in response to the opposition's demand.
Members of all nine political parties which entered parliament following the October 31 parliamentary elections have held a first meeting with the mediation of the diplomatic corps earlier today to address the current political crisis in the country. The meeting has been held at the US Embassy in Tbilisi and was attended by US, EU and French ambassadors.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has responded to the opposition’s election-related rally yesterday and stated that ‘every process seeking to take matters to the street, like what we saw yesterday, must be, on our own initiative and that of our strategic partners, transferred onto a legal and political platform.’
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) says in its interim report that the pre-election environment in Georgia ‘is marked by political and social tensions, and economic challenges’ amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Marina Kaljurand, Chair of the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with the South Caucasus, calls on all political parties and candidates to participate in the second round of the November 21 parliamentary elections and take up their mandates ‘in order to honour the democratically expressed will of Georgian citizens’.