MEPs: Georgia held competitive, well-organised elections despite polarised political environment
MEPs Kaljurand, Mikser and Cramon-Taubadel call on the Georgian government and political parties to put the national interests above party interests and to abolish ‘the malpractices observed during the first round.’ Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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MEPs Marina Kaljurand, Sven Mikser and Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, who observed the October 2 local municipal elections in Georgia, have stated that the country held a competitive and well-organised first round of local elections ‘despite the extremely polarised political environment and challenging epidemiological situation.’
The electoral legal framework needs to be improved, taking into account pending recommendations by the @osce_odihr & the Venice Commission. EP remains ready to pursue its close cooperation with the ????????Parliament. @MarinaKaljurand @svenmikser @ViolavonCramon https://t.co/5IYZj5yt6G
— EP Democracy Support (@EP_DEG) October 5, 2021
The joint statement also reads that the recent elections in Georgia took place under ‘a substantially improved legal framework.’
Voters were given a genuine choice between a variety of political alternatives, the elections were generally well administered and the candidates were able to campaign freely,” the statement reads.
However, it also says that the pre-election environment did not provide equal opportunities for various political parties and candidates, noting that ‘main attention was diverted from local to national issues.’
Local #elections ????????: "These elections took place under a substantially improved legal framework. Voters were given a genuine choice between a variety of political alternatives, the elections were generally well administered and the candidates were able to campaign freely"
— EP Democracy Support (@EP_DEG) October 5, 2021
The campaign was characterised by a hardened polarisation of the political and media landscapes, which sometimes led to verbal or even physical confrontations. All too often, personal attacks prevailed over political debates, depriving voters of the ability to make an informed choice,” MEPs reported.
The statement notes that various violations took place during the electoral campaign such as misuse of public resources, intimidation against candidates and vote-buying.
It also says that the electoral legal framework ‘needs to be further improved in view of future elections’ in accordance with recommendations of the OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission.
MEPs Kaljurand, Mikser and Cramon-Taubadel call on the Georgian government and political parties to put the national interests above party interests and to abolish ‘the malpractices observed during the first round.’
A total of 1,024 foreign observers from 52 international organisations monitored the self-government election in Georgia including EP, OSCE/ODIHR and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.
The EU and US embassies have assessed the October 2 municipal elections in Georgia and stated that the race was generally well administered, but was characterised by ‘hardened polarisation.’ They agreed with the preliminary findings of the OSCE/ODIHR and said that the contestants were able to campaign freely in a competitive environment, and that the election day proceeded in an orderly and transparent manner.
The local municipal elections in Georgia yesterday has received high international attention which was monitored by 1,024 foreign observers from 52 international organisations. Various foreign ambassadors to Georgia has visited election precincts in the country and offices of local NGOs observing the elections and carrying out parallel counting.
The OSCE/ODIHR mission, which has monitored the October 2 municipal elections in Georgia, says that the elections ‘were generally well-administered but held against the backdrop of a protracted political crisis and characterised by hardened polarisation.’
“Georgia’s local elections were competitive and technically well administered, but marred by widespread allegations of electoral violations, vote-buying, and an unlevel playing field, as well as intimidation and pressure”, the international observers have stated today.
The European People’s Party (EPP), which is the largest group in the European Parliament, calls on the Georgian government ‘to improve the political environment’ as well as to guarantee free and fair elections in the second round of the municipal elections and ‘to stop the persecution of political opponents’.
Chairwoman of the Georgian Parliament’s EU integration committee, Maka Bochorishvili, says MEPs will observe the municipal election run-offs in Georgia on October 30. Bochorishvili, from the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party, stated earlier today that MEPs are expecting the run-offs to proceed ‘according to international standards.’
The European Parliament (EP) will send one more mission to Georgia for observing municipal election run-offs in the country on October 30, EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell has announced. Ambassador Hartzell stated that four more MEPs will monitor the second round of local elections in Georgia, together with OSCE/ODIHR.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has met with a delegation of MEPs ahead of the October 30 self-government election run-offs and spoken of the Georgian government’s determination to hold the second round of elections in a free and fair environment.