Additional European Parliament mission to observe election run-offs in Georgia
A total of 1,024 foreign observers from 52 international organisations monitored the self-government election in Georgia. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Tweet 
Share
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.
A total of seven MEPs observed the October 2 self-government elections in Georgia.
He also emphasised the importance of OSCE/ODIHR’s observers staying in the country as ‘they [will] observe the period between the first and second rounds of elections as well.’
We have observed some positive developments that took place after the previous elections. We think the legal framework has been strengthened, including through electoral reform that followed the April 19 agreement,” said Ambassador Hartzell.
The April 19 EU-mediated agreement proposed by European Council President Charles Michel in April resolved the political crisis in Georgia caused by the 2020 parliamentary elections, and put forward large scale electoral and judiciary reforms.
The GD received 46.74% of the vote and won the majority of mayoral constituencies, while the UNM received 30.68%, and ex-PM Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party gathered 7.79% of the vote in municipal elections on October 2. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
The ruling party Georgian Dream (GD) in late July decided to withdraw from the agreement due to the refusal of the United National Movement (UNM), the largest opposition party, to sign the document.
However, the UNM eventually did so after four months of refusal in early September.
Various foreign ambassadors and representatives of the diplomatic corps are calling on all political parties in Georgia to join the April 19 agreement and to cooperate in the implementation of the reforms.
Ambassador Hartzell also spoke on shortcomings in the first round of municipal elections, such as voter bribery, intimidation and pressure on politicians, and expressed the hope that ‘they will not become the norm for elections in Georgia.’
A total of 1,024 foreign observers from 52 international organisations monitored the self-government election in Georgia.
Mayoral election run-offs will be held in 20 of 64 constituencies of Georgia, including the five largest cities: Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, Batumi and Poti, as none of the candidates received at least 51% of the vote.
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.’
According to the final results of the first round in the race, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party received 46.74 per cent of the vote, the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party received 30.68 per cent of the vote while ex-PM Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party garnered 7.79 per cent of the vote.
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 European Parliament as well as the OSCE/ODIHR will send observers for Georgia’s October 2 municipal elections. OSCE/ODIHR has tweeted that both its short and long-term observers will monitor the elections. Twenty-five foreign organisations have been registered so far to observe the elections. The Georgian government says that it wants more international observers to prevent any question marks regarding the election results.
Election polls commissioned by the opposition-oriented TV channel Mtavari Arkhi says that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) mayoral candidate and incumbent Kakha Kaladze will receive 51.6%, while Nika Melia from the United National Movement (UNM) will get 48.4% in municipal election run-offs in Tbilisi on October 30.
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.