Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, has echoed the accusations made by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) that the United States is planning to interfere in Georgia’s upcoming elections through the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). She also accused ODIHR of attempting to “heat up the situation” in Georgia before the elections.
In response to a media inquiry about the US‘s alleged intentions, Zakharova stated that if the election results are not favorable to the West, ODIHR’s conclusions could be used as a pretext for protests and attempts to challenge the results, potentially leading to a “color revolution.”
Zakharova shifted the focus from the US to the “collective West,” claiming that ODIHR is an instrument used by the West to interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign states. She also accused ODIHR of fulfilling political orders and providing biased conclusions and findings.
She further claimed that ODIHR’s “interim reports” are prepared by a small group of hired individuals who are not held accountable for their actions. These reports, according to Zakharova, do not reflect the real state of affairs in a country, but rather serve the interests of the customer.
Zakharova suggested that ignoring ODIHR’s biased conclusions and statements is the best approach, and that elections can proceed without their involvement. She emphasized that the legitimacy of elections is determined by the will of the voters, not by ODIHR’s assessments.
Zakharova also mentioned that at the request of friendly countries, Russia sometimes sends experts to ODIHR missions to monitor the voting process and counteract any potential Western interference. This, she claims, helps to obtain an accurate picture of the situation and prevent manipulations with statistical data.
In conclusion, Zakharova stated that the Russian government believes that ODIHR’s involvement in elections is unnecessary and that the trust of voters in the results will not be harmed without their presence. She also emphasized that the legitimacy of elections should not be determined by ODIHR’s biased assessments.
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