A day after Georgian parliamentary elections in which the Central Election Commission declared that the ruling Georgian Dream Party was the winner, senior European Parliamentarians and their Canadian counterparts issued a statement saying “the elections were not free nor fair” – and that the “European Union cannot recognise the result”. The MPs called for sanctions against “those who are responsible for unfair electoral influences, intimidation, and threats against the opposing party and civil society.”
The statement begins by expressing solidarity to “many committed Europeans” in Georgia who share European values such as freedom, democracy and rule of law. The statement states: “We remain convinced Georgia deserves a position at the heart of a united Europe.”
The statement emphasizes that “these elections were neither fair nor free.” The statement says that the political climate leading up to the elections was not in line with European standards for fairness. It cites intimidation, threats, abuse of power by the state, and vote-buying.
The parliamentarians stress that “this election was about Europe, or isolation, Democracy, or authoritarianism. Freedom, or Russification”. They point out that “during election campaign, it was not made clear enough that the EU cannot continue to rapproche with the ruling party and their policies.”
They claim that the policy of the ruling Georgian Dream Party is “simply uncompatible” with EU. “The perfidious fear campaign of a “global party of war” that would make Georgia a second Ukraine fell on fertile soil. You should call the “global party” by its name. The statement reads: “Its name is Russia.”
The statement reads: “Under these circumstances, the European Union cannot accept the result.”
The parliamentarians also demand that “those who are responsible for unfair influencing of elections, intimidation, and threats against the civil society and opposition” be personally sanctioned.
The statement states that the disappointments have been massive. However, the parliamentarians insist, “We should not abandon the pro-European elements of society,” and instead, strengthen civil society exchanges. They reject punishments that would punish the entire nation, such as the removal of visa liberalization with Georgia. “However we are concerned about an exodus from the well-educated and pro-European youth. “We welcome you to the EU but it would be a tragedy if Georgia’s European orientation was lost,” the statement reads.
The parliamentarians express their concern over the “Belarusification of Georgia”, saying that if GD fulfills all its promises, then there is a danger of persecution and banishment of government critics including politicians, media, and civil society. The statement continues, “The EU must make clear to the ruling party that it will reject this and in this instance a complete termination will follow.”
They also say that they “strongly” support the efforts of President Salome Zurabishvili to “unite the country, defend democracy, freedom, and the rule-of-law and to preserve and ensure the European future of Georgia.”
The following parliamentarians signed the joint statement: Michael Roth (Chair of Foreign Affairs Committee in the German Parliament), Emanuelis Zingeris (Chair of Foreign Affairs Committee in the Lithuanian Parliament), Charles Flanagan (Chair of Foreign Affairs Committee in the Irish Parliament), Marko Miihkelson (Chair of Foreign Affairs Committee in the Estonian Parliament), Rihards Kols MEP, Bogdan Klicz, Chair European Affairs Committee for the Polish Senate, Kerstin Lindgren, Deputy Speaker, Swedish Parliament, Rihards, Rihards, Rihards, Rihards, Rihards, Rihards, Rihards, Rihards, MEP, Rihards, Rihards, Rihards, Rihards, Rihards, Rihards, Rihards, Bogdan Klich, MEP, Rihards, MEP, Rihards, MEP, Rihards, MEP, MEP, MEP, MEP, Bogdan, Bogdan Klich, Bogdan, Bogdan, MEP, Bogdan, MEP, Bogdan, M, M, M, M, M, M, M, Rihards, M, Rihards, M, Rihards, M, Rihards, M, Rihards, M, Rihard, M, Rihards
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