From September 23 to 24, a six-member delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) made a pre-election visit to Georgia to assess the campaign and political climate ahead of the October 26 parliamentary elections. The delegation was led by Iulian Bulai, Romanian MEP and Chair of ALDE.
As part of the visit, the delegation met with the Georgian President, Parliament Speaker, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, members of the parliamentary majority and opposition, the Chair and members of the Central Election Commission (CEC), the heads of the National Communications Commission (ComCom) and the Anti-Corruption Bureau, as well as representatives of civil society and the media. At the end of the visit, the delegation issued a statement.
The statement
Iulian Bulai, the head of the delegation, emphasized that Georgia’s upcoming elections in October will take place at a “very crucial moment in Georgia’s European integration trajectory.” He emphasized that free and fair elections, accepted as legitimate by all stakeholders, are essential to secure the country’s place in European structures.
“Our delegation is concerned that polarization of the political landscape has reached unprecedented levels, turning the forthcoming elections into a de facto referendum on Georgia’s democratic trajectory and foreign alignment,” Bulai said. He expressed concerns about crackdowns on demonstrations and dissent, which he described as “fully legitimate in a democratic society.” He added: “The authorities are expected to act in line with human rights standards, refrain from a disproportionate use of violence, and demonstrate their ability to conduct due and diligent investigations in cases of violence.”
The delegation also raised concerns about harassment of political opponents, threats, intimidation, and hate speech against civil society and media representatives. “I urge the relevant authorities to fully and transparently investigate these allegations,” Bulai said. He also criticized the chilling effect of the Foreign Agents Law on domestic election observers, reiterating the Assembly’s call to withdraw the law. Additionally, he expressed concern about the Anti-Corruption Bureau’s decision to qualify two CSOs as “entities with declared electoral goals,” stressing that it “creates a chilling effect on domestic observers.”
Bulai emphasized that the elections will be the first-ever fully proportional ones but noted that the five percent threshold and the prohibition on political parties forming election blocs “could mitigate the effect of this crucial electoral reform.” He added: “This has been a long-standing recommendation of the Assembly and civil society to increase pluralism in parliament, strengthen the parliament, and avoid super-majorities, thus enhancing the democratic system of checks and balances.”
The head of the mission also condemned the abolition of gender quotas for MPs. He urged political parties “to ensure that a significant proportion of women are in eligible positions on party lists.”
Regarding the Central Election Commission, Bulai stressed that it must not only act impartially but “also be seen as impartial.” He acknowledged concerns over recent controversial changes to the election legislation and internal rules that could undermine public trust in the electoral process. He also noted that several interlocutors raised issues about access to polling stations for Georgian citizens abroad.
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“We would also like to express our concern about politicized state institutions and media,” Bulai said, noting that the delegation was informed about concerns regarding the misuse of administrative resources and pressure on civil servants. “I urge all stakeholders to refrain from rhetoric that would seek to undermine political pluralism, such as calling for the prohibition of the opposition, which would seriously derail Georgia from its Council of Europe membership obligations,” he concluded.
A fully-fledged PACE delegation comprising 32 members and legal experts from the Venice Commission will travel to Georgia to observe the vote on 26 October 2024 alongside other international organizations.
Also Read:
- 20/09/2024 – EU Ambassador Stresses Free and Fair Elections in Georgia, Warns of Possible Consequences
- 04/09/2024 – Watchdog Speaks of “Intense Polarization” ahead of Pre-election Campaign, Other Challenges
- 27/08/2024 – President Salome Zurabishvili Sets Parliamentary Election Day for October 26, Speaks About its “Existential” Importance