On Thursday, the European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the October 26 parliamentary elections in Georgia, a candidate country for EU membership. The document says that the expression of Will was not free and fair, and was another manifestation of the ongoing retreat from democracy in the country, "for which the ruling Georgian Dream party bears full responsibility." this was reported in the European Parliament, reports UNN.
MEPs condemn numerous and serious electoral irregularities, including documented cases of voter intimidation, vote manipulation, interference with election observers and the media, and reports of manipulation of electronic voting machines. The results of the vote announced by the country's Central Election Commission "do not serve as a reliable reflection of the will of the Georgian people"
The European Parliament rejects any recognition of the results of the parliamentary elections in Georgia, and demands that repeated elections be held within a year under close international supervision and with the participation of an independent electoral administration.
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MEPs also believe that the EU should impose sanctions and limit official contacts with the Georgian government.
By supporting calls for an independent international investigation into allegations of election manipulation, parliament wants the EU and its member states to impose personal sanctions on Georgian officials and political leaders who are responsible for deviating from democracy, violating electoral laws and standards, and abusing state institutions. These include Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Tbilisi mayor and Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party Kakha Kaladze, Georgian parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili, and former prime minister and oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili
According to the statement, the European Parliament also strongly condemns Russia's systematic interference in democratic processes in Georgia through disinformation, such as the Global War Party conspiracy, which claims that the country's opposition will allegedly draw the country into a war with Russia on the orders of the West.
MEPs have issued a strong warning to the Georgian authorities that any attempts to ban legally established political parties will further distance the country from the EU and make any steps towards EU membership impossible. They also stated that the policy pursued by the Georgian Dream is incompatible with Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration.
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