Georgia’s President Salome Zurabishvili has offered the public a way out of the current situation and presented a plan.
Zurabishvili claims that the elections cannot be considered valid and legitimate, since two main rights were violated – the right to secrecy of the vote and the right to universality.
The president sees the solution in holding new elections, but until then she suggests the public maintains the current political situation – that is, to leave the parliament and all branches of government with their current composition.
“The country is facing serious threats. One of these is destabilization. This can lead to bipartisanship and deepening polarization. Political destabilization can lead to external destabilization. The threat increases when a country, instead of close relations with partners, chooses isolation, which characterizes the current government. As the president of this country, I have no right to allow this. I will not allow this.
“Therefore, we must find a way out together, offer it to society, political forces, and partners. The government must also listen to this.
“The plan is as follows:
“New elections with an international investigation, which is necessary to identify systemic flaws that existed and need to be corrected. Also, the staffing of a new CEC and amendments to the Election Code, in accordance with the OSCE/ODIHR recommendations, as well as the creation of a special court for electoral disputes.
“The continuation of the existing political situation until October 26 – since the elections were not held, nothing new can be formed – neither the president, nor the government, nor the presidential elections, that is, we continue with what is existing, for the stability of the transitional period. I am already working on the support of international partners.
“Tomorrow morning I will file a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court – for violation of the principles of secrecy and universality. But not because I trust this court,” the President said.
“I must present to you my summary of the election results. The main rights guaranteed by the Constitution and all international standards and principles – secrecy and universality of voting – were violated. The right of immigrants to vote was ignored.
“There were systematic and widespread fraud schemes. Both before the elections and on election day. The president and the opposition do not recognize the legitimacy of the elections. A very large part of society does not recognize them and continues to protest justly.
“Non-governmental and monitoring organizations do not recognize it. Three weeks have passed and not a single major democratic partner has recognized the elections. On the contrary, they emphasize the violations. The verdict has been made – the elections did not take place,” Zurabishvili noted.
