Statement by the Secretary General Mantas Adomėnas on parliamentary elections in Georgia

Principle 1 of the Community of Democracies’ Warsaw Declaration, which provides a profound and systematic roadmap to democracy, defines free and fair elections as those which are “open to multiple parties, conducted by secret ballot, monitored by independent electoral authorities, and free of fraud and intimidation”.

On October 26^th, parliamentary elections were held in Georgia. As reported by the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission’s preliminary findings and conclusions, the elections were organized and administered in an orderly manner, with a wide choice of candidates.

However, there are worrying reports stating that the electoral process was marred by an uneven playing field, with divisive campaign rhetoric, widespread reports of pressure on voters, and recent legislative amendments being of significant concern throughout this election process.

It is of paramount importance to the democratic development of Georgia that these matters are addressed by the Georgian authorities in a transparent, inclusive, and objective manner, and in the spirit of democracy and openness.

I condemn Kremlin’s attempts to interfere in Georgia’s electoral process. In today’s world, disinformation and election interference remains a serious challenge to all democracies.

Over the years, the Georgian people have demonstrated their support for democratic values and for their country’s course towards the EU. The Community of Democracies will continue to work with its Member State Georgia to address challenges in its democratic path and to foster resilience of its political system.