Georgian PM, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President discuss 2024 elections

The topic of Georgia's 2024 parliamentary elections was discussed on Wednesday in a meeting between Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Pia Kauma, the visiting President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Garibashvili congratulated Kauma on her election as the President of the body and confirmed his Government’s desire to continue “fruitful cooperation” with the PA, the PM’s press office said.

He also stressed Government attached “special importance” to conducting “transparent, free and fair elections in accordance with international standards and the best European democratic practices”, and noted the country was “ready to ensure” election monitoring by various international organisations and institutions, including representatives of the Assembly.

The meeting also focused on the European Commission’s report that last week recommended the European Council to grant Georgia the EU membership candidate status, with the PM highlighting its “historic importance”.

The officials also discussed the “current state” of the South Caucasus region, with Garibashvili noting Georgia had “already taken steps” to promote communication and ensure stability between its neighbours, and “remains committed” to contributing to strengthening peace and stability in the region.

The meeting also covered the situation in the country’s Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), with the Government head extending his gratitude to Kauma for her “attention to matters for peaceful resolution” of conflicts in the OSCE region.