**OSCE Official Attends Football Match Organized by Georgian Politician**
A high-ranking official from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly attended a football match in Tbilisi, just weeks before the country’s parliamentary elections. Roberto Montella, the Secretary General of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, watched the game organized by Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and a leading figure in the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Montella is a former football player who played for AC Milan, along with Kaladze. The event has raised questions about Montella’s impartiality, as he is involved in monitoring Georgia’s parliamentary elections on behalf of the OSCE. He will observe the election and help administer the mission.
**Conflict of Interest Concerns**
Critics say that Montella’s attendance at the football match could be seen as a conflict of interest, given his role in observing the upcoming elections. The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Code of Conduct requires staff to avoid actions that might cast doubt on their ability to act impartially. However, Montella claims he was invited by AC Milan Legends and did not participate in any political activities.
**Other Concerns**
Pia Kauma, the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, also defended Montella’s actions, saying that she knew about his visit beforehand. She claimed that being friends with election stakeholders does not affect their ability to observe elections impartially. However, her own visit to Georgia was cancelled earlier this year due to opposition criticism.
**Experts Weigh In**
Experts say that seemingly non-political events can still have significant political implications. They point out that the ruling party is using invitations to high-profile events to woo foreign officials and influence public opinion in their favor. The upcoming parliamentary elections in Georgia were deemed neither free nor fair by international observers, and protests against the government‘s legitimacy continue.
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