The U.S. and EU are calling for a full investigation into Georgia's contested election, as President Zourabichvili urges protests over results that strengthen ties with Russia.
The United States and the European Union have called for a comprehensive investigation into reported election violations in Georgia, where the president urged protests following a contested parliamentary vote on Monday.
With nearly all precincts reporting, the results marked a setback for pro-Western Georgians, who had framed the election as a choice between the ruling party, known for strengthening ties with Russia, and an opposition committed to accelerating European integration.
President Salome Zourabichvili urged citizens to protest Saturday's parliamentary election results, which the electoral commission claimed were won by the ruling Georgian Dream party with nearly 54% of the vote. Opposition groups disputed the outcome, citing significant irregularities reported by monitors.
On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the United States supports calls from observers for a full investigation, saying, “Going forward, we encourage Georgia's political leaders to respect the rule of law, repeal legislation that undermines fundamental freedoms, and address deficiencies in the electoral process together.”
The European Union had earlier urged Georgia to conduct a prompt and transparent inquiry into the reported voting irregularities, asserting in a joint statement with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, “The EU recalls that any legislation that undermines the fundamental rights and freedoms of Georgian citizens and runs counter to the values and principles upon which the EU is founded, must be repealed.”
Zourabichvili, once aligned with Georgian Dream and elected president in 2018 as an independent, urged Georgians to assemble in central Tbilisi on Monday evening to demonstrate to the world their refusal to accept the election results.
The election results present a potential setback for the EU’s goal of expanding to include more former Soviet countries.
China’s President Xi Jinping has called for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to shape a new global security order, challenging U.S. domin...
Iran has inaugurated a $70 million water diversion initiative aimed at increasing the capital’s water supply....
Indonesian students and civil society organisations suspended protests on Monday after a week of mounting anger over lawmakers’ pay and the police r...
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Sunday in Tianjin ahead of a regional summit, pledging to resolve long-standi...
Chinese President Xi Jinping opened the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s 25th summit in Tianjin, where leaders from more than 20 nations, includi...
Georgia’s ruling party is pointing to recent remarks by former USAID Administrator Samantha Power as evidence that U.S. aid programs are used to influence political regimes abroad. The comments, made during a prank interview, have fueled debate in Tbilisi over sovereignty, NGOs, and foreign funding.
The political landscape in Georgia is heating up ahead of a major rally announced by eight opposition parties for 13 September.
Archaeologists in Georgia have unearthed a 1.8-million-year-old jawbone belonging to an early species of human that they say will shed light on some of the earliest prehistoric human settlements on the Eurasian continent.
The South Caucasus is going through one of its most dynamic periods in decades. After years of tension, Armenia and Azerbaijan are moving closer to a final peace deal.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg joined a flotilla of boats loaded with aid for Gaza as they set sail from Barcelona on Sunday, aiming to break Israel’s naval blockade and deliver food and supplies to the enclave.
The 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit began in Tianjin on 31 August, marking the largest gathering in the bloc’s history, with China deepening ties with Azerbaijan, Armenia and wider South Caucasus.
President Ilham Aliyev held a series of strategic meetings with senior executives from leading Chinese industrial corporations in Tianjin on 31 August.
Israeli forces struck Gaza City’s outskirts overnight with air and ground fire, destroying homes and prompting further civilian displacement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet was scheduled on Sunday to discuss a plan for a wider operation to take control of the city.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit opened in Tianjin on 31 August, gathering leaders from across Eurasia and the Global South.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment