Ruling party head: US Embassy statement on election watchdog “shocking”
Kobakhidze noted ISFED’s “fake data” had become “one of the main pillars of the domestic radical opposition” in the latter’s questioning of the legitimacy of the elections. Photo: Georgian Dream Press Office
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Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the statement by the United States Embassy that criticised the exclusion of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, a Georgian-based election watchdog, from Parliamentary work on conditions for obtaining European Union membership candidate status for Georgia was “shocking”.
Kobakhize was reacting to the Embassy statement on Friday that said “the exclusion of ISFED, one of Georgia’s most trusted and experienced election observation organisations, from the Parliamentary working group on election reforms directly contradicts the European Commission’s recommendation that Georgia ensure the involvement of civil society in decision-making processes at all levels”.
The GD official countered by saying ISFED had been “actively involved in rigging” the parallel vote tabulation during the 2020 Parliamentary elections in the country. The organisation was forced to admit to erroneous data in its tallying of voting results.
Kobakhidze noted ISFED’s “fake data” had become “one of the main pillars of the domestic radical opposition” in the latter’s questioning of the legitimacy of the elections.
“[T]he statement of the Embassy [...] is shocking for us. ISFED was actively involved in rigging the parallel vote tabulation [in 2020], which was the most serious fact”, the GD official said.
For the radical opposition, the falsification of the parallel vote tabulation became one of the main pillars to carry out sabotage. Practically, ISFED was directly involved in the revolutionary processes that were managed by the radical opposition. After that, we see ISFED on the stage in front of the Parliament [during opposition rallies earlier this year], where the political demand for the resignation of the Government and the formation of the so-called technical government was heard”, Kobakhidze said.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Sunday said ISFED had “refused to distance itself” from the opposition’s demand of a technical government involving the opposition being formed in the country, adding the refusal had served as the basis of not inviting the organisation to the Parliamentary working group on electoral issues.
“ISFED should tell the public whether they will withdraw the ultimatum to have a decisive say in forming the government; if they withdraw the ultimatum, then they can participate in the working group”, Papuashvili said.
Sozar Subari, a member of Popular Force, a recently launched public movement composed of the former ruling Georgian Dream party MPs who exited the team in June, on Monday criticised the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, a Georgian-based election watchdog, by saying “if they want to be revolutionary and follow Lenin’s path, they should name themselves as a revolutionary party”.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chairman of the Committee on Human Rights of the Georgian Parliament, on Monday said the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, a Georgian-based election watchdog, should “distance itself” from “improperly made” demands that “are not suitable for an NGO”.
Popular Force, a newly launched public movement composed of the former ruling Georgian Dream party MPs who exited the team in June, on Monday released a statement saying by standing up for the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, a Georgian-based election watchdog, the United States Embassy was backing a return to power of the opposition United National Movement party through “revolution” and opening of a “second front” of the ongoing Ukraine war in Georgia.
The involvement of non-governmental organisations is “extensive”, as at least two NGOs - about 200 NGOs in whole - are represented in every Parliamentary working group, created to review judicial reforms for fulfilling the conditions outlined by the European Union for granting Georgia the membership candidate status, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili told reporters on Sunday.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said while the domestic “radical opposition” was talking about “revolutionary scenarios”, the Government was holding its place and would “do everything to maintain peace and double-digit economic growth” in the country.
Kelly Degnan, the United States Ambassador to Georgia, on Wednesday vowed support for the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, a Georgian-based election watchdog, by saying it was a “highly respected” and experienced election monitoring organisation.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, a Georgian-based election watchdog, had “no place” in the Parliamentary working groups discussing reforms for obtaining the European Union membership candidate status for the country.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday said “any demand” of snap Parliamentary elections being held in the country was “completely irrelevant”.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the country’s authorities were “ready to inform everyone” about risks of interference in domestic elections “if such threats are observed”, following a warning by the United States for more than 100 states across the world over Russia’s alleged plans to “undermine confidence” in democratic process and fair elections.