Georgian PM claims different assessments over elections held in Georgia, Moldova showing “clear injustice”

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday addressed  political developments in Moldova by claiming  there was “no political and media pluralism” in the country, with opposition parties being “banned”, and further pointed out that “different assessments [by Western partners] of the [latest] elections held in Georgia and Moldova are a clear case of injustice”.

In his interview with PosTV, Kobakhidze reviewed the Moldovan presidential election runoff on Sunday by alleging there was a “stark difference” with the parliamentary elections held in Georgia last month in terms of “competitiveness and freedom from manipulations”. 

“There is a clear unfairness in comparing Georgia and Moldova, just as it was when Moldova had been granted EU membership candidate status and Georgia was not”, the PM claimed.

In Moldova, there were quite influential candidates who had been refused electoral registration under artificial pretexts. There were serious shortcomings in terms of competitiveness as well - I will not focus on other issues, it is less interesting for us. Every country should look after its own elections, but the injustice is obvious”, he continued.

The Government head stressed Georgia was “significantly ahead” of Moldova “in many parameters - be it the strength of institutions, lack of corruption, economic development, human rights, democracy, political pluralism, media pluralism”.

“Practically, no opposition MP was left in the [Moldovan] Parliament. Presidential elections were held under these conditions. At such a time, when we hear different assessments regarding the elections in Georgia and Moldova, it is a clear injustice”, Kobakhidze continued.

He further added that Moldova was a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States but the European Union had still opened the accession talks with Chișinău.