EU High Representative: technical mission to discuss “irregularities” in parliamentary elections in Georgia visit

Josep Borrell, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on Monday said a technical mission would be sent to Georgia to discuss  irregularities in the parliamentary elections held last month.

In his remarks over the matter, Borrell claimed  the conduct of the  elections had “confirmed the democratic backsliding” of the country under its current Government.

We will send a mission to Georgia. We will discuss the irregularities, and elections will have to be investigated. The Government has to produce decisive changes through concrete actions. Georgia cannot move forward in its relationship with the European Union, it will not be able to advance into the European path, without strong changes”, the EU official said.

“We will invite the head of the election observation mission of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights to Georgia to present his assessment on the election irregularities to the member states.  We will inform the Council meeting in order for member states to be aware of what we are talking about when we talk about irregularities in these elections”, he continued.

He further explained the objectives of the mission to be sent to Georgia by saying that “it is a technical mission whose purpose is to analyse on the ground all the circumstances that have occurred in these contested elections”.

Contested elections have raised clear concern in Europe about the slide towards undemocratic situations. These irregularities have to be verified, analysed. That is what technical missions are for”, he continued.

Borrell stressed that the door of the EU would “remain open” for Georgia, but added  the “course of the Government when it comes to the respect of rule of law and basic principles, including the way elections have been conducted, is turning Georgia away from its European Union integration path”.