US Embassy on municipal run-offs: positive steps forward were undermined by widespread violations
“The recent elections and Georgia’s deeply divisive political environment show much more work is urgently needed,” the US Embassy says. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The United States Embassy to Georgia has stated that electoral reforms made by Georgian politicians earlier this year have increased the transparency of the voting process – emphasising, however, that ‘widespread violations adversely affected the ability of citizens to vote freely’ in local self-government elections in Georgia.
The US Embassy has shared the evaluation of the OSCE/ODIHR, which says that ‘elections were generally calm and well-administered but allegations of intimidation and pressure on voters persisted.’
U.S. Embassy Statement Following the Second Round of Georgian Municipal Elections https://t.co/Nkd0bYdvFL
— U.S. Embassy Tbilisi (@usingeo) November 1, 2021
As these elections have shown, democracy is a work in progress. It requires dedication to the highest international standards and vigilance to ensure citizens’ rights and freedoms are protected,” the statement reads.
The US Embassy called on the Central Election Commission (CEC) and the courts to ‘use legal mechanisms for adjudication of election disputes.’
Intimidation, offensive rhetoric, misuse of administrative resources, and reports of blatant vote-buying and other violations continued [in the second round of the elections],” the US Embassy stated.
Democracy in Georgia will not be strengthened by resorting to violence or pursuing solutions outside the law,” the statement further reads.
Based on the final results of municipal election run-offs held on October 30, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party mayoral candidates have won in all self-governing cities and municipalities except for Tsalenjikha, where the United National Movement (UNM) party candidate, Giorgi Kharchilava, won with 51.11%, over the GD’s Goga Gulordava. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
It urges Georgian leaders ‘to enact and implement all the remaining reforms recommended by ODIHR, the Venice Commission, and other international experts.’
The statement also emphasises that ‘a politicised media further inflamed the polarised atmosphere’ both ahead of the elections and on voting days.
The recent elections and Georgia’s deeply divisive political environment show much more work is urgently needed,” the US Embassy says.
A total of 5,309 representatives from political parties, 35,198 observers of 100 local organisations, and 1,202 foreign observers from 52 international organisations monitored the municipal run-offs on October 30 in Georgia nationwide.