Georgian President discusses “political crisis” in country with European officials

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Monday met a visiting delegation of chairs of the parliamentary committees on foreign relations from eight member states of the European Union to discuss “political crisis” in the country following the parliamentary elections last month.

The meeting came after Michael Roth, the Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee of the German Bundestag, last week announced his counterparts from Finland, Sweden, France, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland and Germany would visit Georgia to discuss the latest developments in the country.

In her remarks following the meeting, Zourabichvili said the crisis in the country was “evident”, and further pointed out that “our friends are here to see the ways Georgia can get out of this crisis”, in reference to the results of the elections the domestic opposition had rejected to recognise.

This is a country where the public is really European, democratic, [but], unfortunately, [also one] which does not have a democratic Government -  [it] has a one-party Government that has taken over [...] the institutions of this country”, the President claimed.

“This is a single-party-managed and single-party-rigged election. That is why we are entering a crisis”, she continued.

Zourabichvili further added the country “should receive a legitimate Parliament, a legitimate Government and a legitimate new President”, adding that “our path is the path of stability, democracy and Europe, [and] there is no other path for Georgia”. 

In his turn, Roth called for an “independent investigation” into the alleged election irregularities.

I have already expressed my serious doubts about the legitimacy of the elections. It is quite clear that the suspicions are so serious that we are calling for an independent investigation. This is the only chance to restore trust. Without an independent investigation, we cannot accept the results of this election”, the German official said.

Earlier today, Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, said he had declined a meeting with a delegation of parliamentarians from European Union member states, led by Lithuanian MP Žygimantas Pavilionis, citing “unfriendly rhetoric” to the ruling Georgian Dream party by specific members of the delegation, and their “sowing of chaos” in the country through their alleged backing of the “radical opposition in the name of the EU”.