French President, German Chancellor, Polish PM issue joint statement on “concerns” around Georgian elections

Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor, and Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister of Poland, have issued a joint statement reiterating their concerns about the conduct of last month’s parliamentary elections in Georgia, the German Embassy in Georgia said on Thursday.

The leaders express concern over “numerous irregularities and intimidation on voters” reported by international observer missions, and said the issues had “negatively affected public trust in the process”.

We call for swift and transparent investigations of all complaints and reports of election-related irregularities and will carefully examine the final report of the international observation mission, which we expect in due time”, the statement said.

The European leaders reaffirmed their support for Georgian citizens’ democratic and European aspirations, stressing the freedoms of peaceful assembly and expression were “fundamental rights in a democratic society and must be upheld and protected”.

They also called for an “inclusive dialogue” with all political forces and civil society organisations.

The release also said the European Council had highlighted Georgia was “drifting away” from its European path and had insisted on the need to organise “free and fair elections” ahead of the parliamentary vote.

The statement also noted the leaders would “not be in a position to support” opening of European Union accession negotiations with Georgia unless the country “everses its current course of action and demonstrates tangible reform efforts by repealing recent legislation that runs counter to European values and principles”, in reference to the domestic law on the protection of family values and the law on transparency of foreign influence.