**European Union Legislators Visit Georgia Amid Election Crisis**
A group of senior legislators from eight European Union countries (Germany, France, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, and Finland) visited Georgia on November 11. The delegation met with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili and opposition parties.
**Meeting with President Zurabishvili**
The visit began with a meeting between the president and the delegation. A joint press conference was held afterwards. President Zurabishvili said that Georgia is experiencing a political crisis due to “one party-managed elections” or “one-party rigged elections.” She emphasized that Georgia will return to “fair” elections with “just” means.
**Concerns about Elections**
Michael Roth, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the German Bundestag, expressed concerns about the recent elections on October 26. He said that the elections were neither fair nor free and discussed alleged violations such as ballot secrecy and vote buying. Roth also spoke about threats against opposition supporters and voter intimidation.
**Call for Investigation**
Roth called for an independent investigation into the elections. He suggested using mechanisms such as the European Parliament or European Commission to conduct the investigation, as it is understood that the Georgian Prosecutor’s Office will not be able to conduct a fair inquiry.
**Meeting with Opposition Parties**
The delegation met with representatives of opposition parties, including Gakharia for Georgia, Unity-UNM, and Coalition for Change. They discussed various topics, including an international investigation into the elections and potential measures Europe could take if Georgia continues to backslide on democratic reforms.
**Support from EU Legislators**
During their visit, the European legislators met with representatives of civil society, the media, and October 26 election monitors. They also participated in a rally called “We are Europe” and addressed protesters with words of support for their European and democratic ambitions.
Michael Roth, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag, told the crowd that they were friends of a free, democratic Georgia. He emphasized that solidarity must unite them in the fight for freedom and democracy. Other EU legislators also expressed their support for the Georgian people‘s efforts to defend democracy and freedom.