EU to Send Technical Mission to Georgia Over Election Concerns

The European Commission has announced plans to dispatch a technical mission to Georgia in the coming weeks to investigate alleged violations during the October 26 parliamentary elections.

The European Commission has announced plans to dispatch a technical mission to Georgia in the coming weeks to investigate alleged violations during the October 26 parliamentary elections.

Peter Stano, spokesperson for the European Commission on external relations, confirmed the preparations, noting that details would be disclosed later. Stano also highlighted that the head of the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission will deliver a report to EU member states, assessing how complaints about electoral irregularities were handled.

On November 18, Josep Borrell, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, reiterated the EU’s concerns about the election process, describing it as indicative of a "democratic backslide" by Georgia's government. Following the EU Foreign Ministers’ Council meeting, Borrell announced that a specialized mission would examine the election proceedings.

The election results, which saw the ruling party "Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia" secure 53.93% of the vote and 89 parliamentary seats, have faced mixed reactions from the EU. While Hungary and Slovakia acknowledged the results, other member states, such as Lithuania, questioned the elections’ fairness. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis called for an independent international investigation, urging Georgian authorities to cooperate fully.

Amid the controversy, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze expressed the government’s readiness to assist the EU mission, stating that Georgia is open to scrutiny and willing to provide access to ballots.

The October 26 elections were marked by notable opposition resistance. Key opposition parties, including the “Coalition for Change,” which secured 19 seats, and the “Unity – National Movement,” which won 16 seats, rejected the results. Protests erupted in Tbilisi on November 16, with demonstrators blocking entrances to the Central Election Commission (CEC).

As the EU mission prepares to arrive, questions about the integrity of Georgia’s electoral process remain under scrutiny, reflecting growing tensions between the nation’s ruling party and opposition forces.

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