US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that international observers of the Georgian parliamentary elections did not declare them to be fair and free.
He said that the US condemned all violations of international standards and joined the call from international and local observers for a full investigation into all electoral violations related the elections.
“Stronger democracy in Georgia is the source of strength for the country since 2004, and yesterday’s activity confirms once again the commitment of Georgians to democracy. In 2024, however, international and domestic observers noted that the pre-election climate was characterized as abuse of administrative resources by ruling party, vote corruption and voter intimidation. This undermined public and foreign confidence in the possibility for a fair result.
“While international and domestic observers agree that Election Day in general was well administered, we are aware of reports of irregularities and isolated violent incidents.” International observers have not declared the election results fair and free. We condemn all violations against international norms, and we join the call from international and local observers to conduct a thorough investigation into all electoral violations.
“For the next step, we urge Georgia’s political leadership to uphold the law, repeal legislation which undermines basic liberties, and work with each other to address flaws within the electoral process.” “The goals of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Georgia, as reflected in its constitution, require the authorities to respect the rights and basic freedoms of citizens of Georgia,” stated Antony Blinken.
Salome Zurabishvili, the president of Georgia and none of the opposition parties who crossed the 5% threshold recognize the legitimacy of results of the elections in Georgia held on October 26. The president claims that the elections were rigged.
Related story: President says: This election was a total fraud. I don’t recognize it.
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