Georgia's election turmoil sparks international scrutiny

OSCE reports on the elections in Georgia confirm numerous irregularities and instances of legal violations.

What a disgrace – commented Latvia's Foreign Minister, Baiba Braze.

"I applaud the 🇬🇪 people who came out to vote en masse despite intimidation. Their wish for a European future must be respected by any Georgian government," the minister stated on the X platform.

The Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said on Sunday that the United States supports observers' calls for a thorough investigation into reports of election-related violations in Georgia, where the president has called for protests following the announcement of contested results.

"Going forward, we encourage Georgia's political leaders to respect the rule of law, repeal legislation that undermines fundamental freedoms, and jointly address the shortcomings in the electoral process," Blinken conveyed in a statement.

The EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, called on Sunday for Georgia's Central Election Commission to investigate allegations of irregularities during the parliamentary elections in the country. The Georgian opposition and pro-Western President Salome Zurabishvili deemed Saturday's vote fraudulent.

"We call on the Central Election Commission of Georgia and other relevant bodies to fulfill their duty, quickly, transparently and independently investigate and consider election violations and allegations. These violations must be clarified and eliminated. This is a necessary step to restore confidence in the election process," Borrell's statement read.

He also noted that in recent months, Georgians have demonstrated their EU aspirations and commitment to democratic values.

Estonia's Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna, stated that reports from international observers on irregularities in the electoral process and the statement by Georgia's President Salome Zurabishvili about the rigged results "As the only remaining independent institution in this state, I want to say that I do not recognize this election. It cannot be recognized. It would be the same as recognizing Russia's entry here -- Georgian subordination to Russia"

The minister emphasised that the people of Georgia have the right to vote freely and fairly and decide their own future.

The chairman of Estonia's parliamentary foreign affairs committee, Marko Mihkelson, remarked on social media that manipulating election results does not pave the way to EU membership but rather risks a return to Russia’s influence. He suggested that this is likely the ruling party's goal despite the majority of society opposing such a direction.

According to Mihkelson, if Georgians allow their will to be squashed, Russia will achieve its goal, and Georgia will end up like Belarus, which would only encourage the Kremlin to commit more crimes and acts of aggression. "In the South Caucasus, this would particularly mean bad news for Armenia," the Estonian politician warned.

According to the Central Election Commission, the ruling Georgian Dream has secured 54% of the votes, while four pro-Western opposition groups collectively obtained about 38%. Exit polls conducted by opposition media indicated that the ruling party lost the elections and the majority.

In their report, OSCE observers pointed to the campaign's polarisation, local reports of pressure on voters, and their fears of retaliation.

The Latvian agency LETA writes that the current government formed by Georgian Dream, the party of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, has begun to emulate the policies of Russia's dictator Vladimir Putin and recreate the Kremlin's anti-Western rhetoric. These elections will determine relations between Georgia, a candidate country for the EU, and Brussels.