US President calls on Georgian Gov’t to “transparently investigate all election irregularities” in parliamentary vote

The United States President Joe Biden on Tuesday called on the Georgian Government to “transparently investigate all election irregularities” in Saturday’s parliamentary elections in the country.

In his statement, Biden said he was “deeply alarmed” by Georgia’s recent “democratic backsliding”, including the enactment of legislation “mirroring Russian laws that restrict fundamental freedoms and limit the space for independent civil society organisations”, in reference to the Georgian law on transparency of foreign influence.

Most recently, Georgia’s October 26 parliamentary elections were marred by numerous recorded misuses of administrative resources as well as voter intimidation and coercion”, the US President said.

He stressed Georgian citizens had a “right to peacefully express their views” regarding the conduct of the elections, which “independent international and domestic observers have not said were free and fair”.

We call on the Georgian government to transparently investigate all election irregularities, to repeal laws such as the so-called foreign influence law that limit freedoms of assembly and expression, and to begin an immediate, inclusive dialogue with all political forces in Georgia about restoring election integrity”, he continued.

Biden further called for all parties to “strictly respect the rule of law and fundamental freedoms”, which he said “remain the foundation for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic future”.