Parliamentary Committee Chair: “external attempts to interfere” in Georgian elections “futile”

Rati Ionatamishvili, the Chair of the Human Rights Committee in the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday criticised what he described as “external efforts to interfere” in the country’s October 26 general elections, dismissing them as “futile”. 

Speaking to the Georgian Public Broadcaster, the MP claimed the unspecified external actors were “trying to boost the opposition's standing” despite it “lacking public support”, adding “such interference will be ineffective and counterproductive”. 

The lawmaker also expressed scepticism about the impact of external criticism of the ruling Georgian Dream party on the opposition's popularity, suggesting it would “not help improve their standing in the eyes of voters”.

He projected the support for the “radical opposition” could “fall below 20 percent” in the forthcoming vote.