EU’s HR/VP Kaja Kallas and Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos have commented on Georgia’s October 4 local elections, which they said came “amid a period of extensive crackdown on dissent,” urging “calm and restraint” after the vote and calling for the release of those “arbitrarily detained.”
“Months of raids on independent media, the passing of laws targeting civil society, the jailing of opponents and activists or amendments to the electoral code favouring the ruling party, drastically reduced the possibility of having competitive elections. A large part of the opposition boycotted these elections, and the turnout was relatively low,” two Brussels officials said in an October 5 statement.
They added: “The refusal by the Georgian authorities to invite international monitors in due time, in particular OSCE/ODIHR, undermined the transparency of the electoral process and prevented credible international monitoring. Domestic organisations also refrained from observing due to the repressive environment.”
HR/VP Kallas and Commissioner Kos then called “for the release of all those arbitrarily detained”, saying “large numbers of people constantly protested the repressive policies ” of the ruling Georgian Dream party.
“We urge calm and restraint in the post-election period and call on the authorities to uphold citizens’ rights to freedom of assembly and expression,” the statement reads. “A constructive and inclusive dialogue involving all political actors and civil society is essential, and we call on every side to refrain from violence.”
EU officials also reiterated Brussels’ dismay over escalating Georgian Dream attacks on the EU and its ambassador, Paweł Herczyński, saying “European Union firmly rejects and condemns the disinformation regarding the EU’s role in Georgia and denounces the personal attacks against the Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia.”
The statement follows a tense day of the election and protests on October 4. Preliminary official results gave Georgian Dream a sweeping victory in the municipal elections that were partially boycotted by the opposition, took place in a repressive political and legal environment, and had only limited independent observation.
A mass rally took place in Tbilisi on the same day, which grew into unrest after one group of protesters tried to occupy the presidential palace following a call by rally organizers. Police dispersed the crowds, arresting rally organizers and vowing to arrest more.
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