CoE Secretary General on Georgia’s Elections

Political leaders in Georgia should show “responsibility, political maturity and respect for the democratic process,” Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, said in a statement on January 6.

“Yesterday’s presidential elections in Georgia were closely watched by international observers and the central electoral commission is yet to publish the official results,” he said. “In theses circumstances, Georgian political leaders should show responsibility, political maturity and respect for the democratic process. Calling for mass protests before the official results are known and before the international observers have made public their assessment of the elections is both premature and immature. If the opposition has any evidence to back their allegations of electoral fraud, they should give it to international observers and use the procedures which are guaranteed by the Georgian constitution.”