Georgian PM calls for removal of Transparency International Georgia’s electoral status to "prevent external manipulation"

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday called for removal of Transparency International Georgia's status as an entity with “declared election objectives” - following its assignment by the country’s Anti-Corruption Bureau last month - claiming the move would “prevent external manipulation” in the October 26 general elections.

In his statement, the PM referred to the decision by the Bureau, which classified TI Georgia, its Chair Eka Gigauri, the Vote for Europe movement, and associated board members as entities with electoral objectives, stripping them of their right to observe the elections and imposing other restrictions. 

The Bureau claimed the groups had been engaged in "open election campaign propaganda" against the Government, using financial and material resources to achieve their goals.

Any objective observer can see that TI Georgia has a declared election goal and conducts open election propaganda against the ruling Georgian Dream party”, Kobakhidze said in his agreement with the decision, defended it as "legally justified" and upheld by the court of first instance.

He also said the ruling adhered to the “highest standards” of legal accuracy as stipulated by the Organic Law of Georgia on political unions of citizens.

However, the official raised concerns about a “potential for external manipulation” of the electoral process stemming from the status, claiming that "early signs of interference" had already been observed. 

To protect the state's interests and avoid external manipulation in the election process, I believe it is expedient to remove the status of TI Georgia as an organisation with a declared electoral goal”, he said and called for a similar review of other entities that have been recognised as having electoral goals.

In his statement, Kobakhidze also accused TI Georgia of maintaining a "long-standing radical political agenda" and claimed it had contributed to “political unrest” in the country. 

He highlighted the organisation’s involvement in the dissemination of what he described as "fake results" from the 2020 Parliamentary elections, produced in error through parallel vote tabulation data by the domestic non-governmental organisation International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy. Kobakhidze stressed the data had been used by the domestic opposition to incite post-election turmoil.

These actions should be unequivocally viewed as an attempt to change the Government against the will of the people”, the PM asserted, accusing TI Georgia of playing a "key role" in the efforts. He also referenced the organisation’s involvement in 2022 protests against the Government about the country’s European integration, where the PM claimed it had called for the resignation of the GD authorities and the formation of a technical government.

Kobakhidze further claimed TI Georgia had sought to restore political forces associated with "past authoritarianism, electoral fraud, and the loss of Georgian territories”, and argued the organisation was attempting to “return to power those responsible for war, territorial losses, and authoritarian governance in the country”, in reference to the United National Movement Government.

The PM concluded by urging the Bureau to reassess its decisions over TI Georgia and other organisations with declared electoral goals and also called on the body to avoid granting such status to groups that “could be leveraged for external manipulation” ahead of the elections.

Kobakhidze further argued foreign-funded organisations were “engaging in election propaganda", violating Georgia's Constitution, “undermining state sovereignty” and “conflicted with the principles of democratic elections”. 

However, he claimed their "damaged reputation within the public” meant the alleged violations were “unlikely to have any significant impact” on election results.