Canada to Reassess Relations with Georgia After Claims of Rigged Elections
On October 28, Global Affairs Canada issued a statement on the parliamentary elections in Georgia, announcing a reassessment of relations and calling for an investigation into the violations identified by international observers on election day. The Government of Canada also calls on the Georgian authorities to respect the rights of peaceful demonstrators and commends Georgians for their active participation in the elections.
“As a friend, partner and longstanding supporter of Georgia, Canada notes the official results of the October 26, 2024, parliamentary election as announced by the country’s central election commission. However, Canada is concerned with widespread acts of voter intimidation, vote buying and other election day irregularities reported by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and other impartial observers. This must be investigated and addressed. Canada strongly believes that free, fair, and independent elections are the cornerstone of a democratic society,” reads the statement.
The statement further notes: “In coordination with our G7 and European partners, and in light of the conduct and results of this election, Canada will reassess its relationship with the Georgian leadership. Canada remains open to cooperation with Georgia, as long as the Georgian leadership respects democracy, human rights, rule of law and addresses the recent democratic backsliding. We call for calm by all parties and for the Georgian authorities to respect the rights and security of individuals in the context of peaceful protests. We commend Georgians for actively participating in the election process, including as voters, polling staff and citizen observers.”
Also Read:
- 28/10/2024 – Latvian, Lithuanian MFAs Question the ‘Free and Fair’ Nature of Georgian ELections
- 28/10/2024 – Blinken: U.S. Condemns Breaches of Int. Norms During Oct.26 Elections, Calls for Investigation
- 27/10/2024 – NDI, IRI International Observer Mission Preliminary Assessment of Georgian Elections
- 27/10/2024 – International Election Observation Mission Preliminary Findings and Conclusions
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)