EU to send technical mission to Georgia amid alleged election violations

The European Commission has announced that a technical mission will be arriving in Georgia in the coming weeks to investigate alleged violations during the parliamentary elections held on October 26.

"Preparations are underway. More details about the mission will be shared at the appropriate time," said Peter Stano, spokesperson for the European Commission on external relations, in a written response to Radio Free Europe, Caliber.Az reports.

Additionally, Stano noted that the head of the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission would present a report to the EU member states, assessing "how the complaints regarding electoral violations were addressed."

On November 18, Josep Borrell, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, mentioned the deployment of a technical mission to Georgia. Following the EU Foreign Ministers’ Council, Borrell stated that a specially created mission would investigate what occurred during the elections held in Georgia.

"The way the parliamentary elections were conducted confirmed the current government’s democratic backslide," said Borrell on November 18.

At present, Hungary is the only EU member state to have publicly congratulated the ruling party, Georgian Dream, on its electoral victory. Slovakia has also recognised the results of the October 26 elections. Meanwhile, several EU member states have refrained from doing so.

"[Lithuania] does not consider the elections in Georgia to have been free and fair," said Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, before the start of the Foreign Ministers' meeting on November 18.

Lithuania has also called for an "independent international investigation" into the parliamentary elections in Georgia. According to Landsbergis, it would be telling if Georgian Dream were to reject this.

Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze stated that the Georgian government is willing to cooperate with the international mission.

"Of course, we are ready. There is no problem. The day after the elections, the Prime Minister came out and said directly that if there are any questions, here are the ballots, count them," Kaladze responded to media inquiries.

Notably, the ruling party "Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia" won the October 26 parliamentary elections in Georgia, securing 53.93% of the vote and 89 seats in the 150-member parliament. The "Coalition for Change" received 11.03%, winning 19 seats, while the "Unity – National Movement" earned 10.17%, securing 16 seats. Other parties included "Strong Georgia" with 8.81% (14 seats) and "Gakharia for Georgia" with 7.78% (12 seats).

Following the results, opposition groups protested in Tbilisi on November 16, with activists and representatives blocking the CEC entrances. Despite the victory, several opposition parties rejected the election results, with members of the “Coalition for Change” refusing their parliamentary mandates.

By Aghakazim Guliyev