US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says international observers of the parliamentary elections held in Georgia did not declare the results of the elections to be free and fair.
He claimed that the US condemns all violations of international norms and joins the call of international and local observers to conduct a full investigation of all electoral violations related to the elections.
“Strong democracy in Georgia has been and is the source of the country’s strength since 2004, and yesterday’s activity once again confirms the commitment of the Georgian people to democracy. However, in 2024, international and local observers note that the pre-election environment was characterized by abuse of administrative resources by the ruling party, vote bribery and voter intimidation, which undermined public and international confidence in the possibility of a fair outcome.
“While international and local observers agree that Election Day was generally well administered, we note reports of irregularities and isolated violence. International observers did not declare the election results free and fair. We condemn all violations of international norms and join the call of international and local observers for a thorough investigation of all electoral violations related to the elections.
“For the next steps, we call on Georgia’s political leaders to uphold the rule of law, repeal legislation that undermines basic freedoms, and work together to address flaws in the electoral process. The goals of European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Georgia, which are reflected in the country’s constitution, require that the authorities respect the rights of representatives of civil society and the basic freedoms of all citizens of Georgia,” said Antony Blinken’s statement.
None of the opposition parties that crossed the 5% threshold and President Salome Zurabishvili recognize the legitimacy of the results of the elections held in Georgia on October 26. As the president claims, the elections were completely rigged.
Related story: President: It was a total falsification, I do not recognize this election
