Georgian PACE delegation supports Tiny Kox in President elections

The Georgian representation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on Monday supported Tiny Kox in elections for the President of the body, with Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the Georgia’s ruling party, explaining the delegation’s support for the candidate.

Kobakhidze said it was “accepted practice” in the Council of Europe to see Presidents elected by a quota of a particular political party win reelection for a second term.

He also noted while there had been an alternative candidate in the voting, the Georgian delegation had “essentially supported the continuation of the practice” established in the body.

The Georgian official also said Oleksandr Mereshko, the Ukrainian other candidate in the election, had been involved in the adoption of “absolutely unacceptable changes” for the Georgian representation.

Kobakhidze later met Kox to discuss Georgia’s ongoing progress on implementing the European Union’s recommendations for granting the country a membership candidate status, progress made in the country on reforms, and the “current political processes” in the wider region.

The Georgian Dream Chair also congratulated Kox on his second term as PACE President, with the Dutch official thanking Kobakhidze for the support in the election and noting the CoE “fully supported” Georgia in its EU integration.

Kox was elected with 175 votes in the election held during the winter session of the PACE, winning his second term following his first spell last year.