Sweden Criticizes Georgia’s Election Process
The Swedish government has spoken out against the way elections were held in Georgia last October. The country‘s Foreign Minister, Maria Malmer Stenergard, said that the election process was unfair and that voters faced threats.
Stenergard made her comments to the Swedish Parliament on February 12. She also criticized the treatment of peaceful protesters who are still demonstrating against the election results.
Sweden wants tougher action against those responsible for the violence and intimidation. The country has a long history of supporting Georgia, but it suspended cooperation with the government after the disputed elections.
Stenergard stressed that Sweden’s support for countries trying to join the European Union is strong, but not unlimited. This means that the country can still provide help to Georgia if it makes progress towards democracy and fair elections.
Sweden has been a major donor of aid to Georgia in the past. However, after the disputed election, the government suspended cooperation with the country. This was due to concerns about the erosion of democratic values and the rule of law in Georgia.
The Swedish Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Benjamin Dousa, said at the time that the situation in Georgia had been “very alarming” for some time. He noted that international election observers had reported irregularities during the parliamentary election.
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