**Opposition Parties Ask PACE Not to Verify New Parliament’s Credentials**
Three opposition parties in Georgia have written a joint letter to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and other leaders. They are asking them not to verify the credentials of the new Georgian parliament delegation.
The signatory leaders, from the Coalition for Change, Unity-UNM, and Strong Georgia, are citing the “deeply flawed” October 26 elections in Georgia as a reason for their request. They claim that the current parliament, made up solely of members from the ruling party Georgian Dream, cannot be considered legitimate.
**Concerns Over Election Integrity**
The opposition parties argue that the scale and intensity of falsification mechanisms used by Georgian Dream during the election process undermined its credibility and eroded public trust in its results. They are also concerned about potential delegation members being subject to international sanctions.
Specifically, they mention Bidzina Ivanishvili, who they claim is responsible for democratic backsliding, electoral fraud, state-sponsored terror, mass human rights violations, and the persecution of political opponents and activists.
**Call for New Elections**
The opposition parties are urging PACE to take a principled stance in safeguarding democratic values in Georgia. They argue that new elections and the release of detained protesters are the only way to resolve the current crisis.
The 2025 Plenary Session of PACE is scheduled to open on January 27, and the opposition parties’ appeal has raised concerns about how this will affect the country’s relations with Europe.
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