**Election Result Dispute in Georgia**
The government of Georgia is claiming that the recent parliamentary elections were legitimate and competitive. However, the opposition and some international observers are disputing this claim.
According to Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, the OSCE/ODIHR assessment report stated that the October 26 elections were “competitive” and “legitimate”. A letter from French Senator Pascal Allizard, who was part of the OSCE observation mission, also supports this claim. The letter praises the election as being well-administered and having a wide choice for citizens.
However, another international observer, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), has issued a critical report that raises concerns about the accuracy of the election results. They state that there may have been issues with voter pressure and an uneven playing field.
**Letter Sparks Controversy**
The letter from Pascal Allizard seems to contradict his earlier statement on Radio France Internationale, where he claimed that the elections were neither free nor democratic. When asked for clarification, Allizard stated that the OSCE/ODIHR mission’s purpose is to observe and give an opinion, not to comment on the political outcome.
The government of Georgia is using Allizard’s letter as evidence of international endorsement of the election results. However, many are questioning whether this letter truly represents the joint opinion of all OSCE institutions involved in the observation mission.
**Dispute Continues**
The dispute over the legitimacy and accuracy of the parliamentary election result continues to cause tension in Georgia. The opposition and some international observers are calling for a re-run of the elections, while the government maintains that the results are valid.
The situation remains unclear, with many questions still unanswered about the transparency and fairness of the election process.