Georgian opposition: 'OSCE report is most negative in history, confirming elections are invalid'
Georgian opposition welcomes OSCE election report
On December 20, four opposition groups in Georgia issued a statement agreeing with the critical OSCE/ODIHR report on the parliamentary elections held on October 26. “The elections failed to ensure the constitutional right of citizens to vote,” the opposition statement said.
The statement was signed by the “For Change” coalition, the “National Movement — Unity,” the “Strong Georgia” coalition, and the “For Georgia — Giorgi Gakharia” party. All four groups secured seats in parliament following the October 26 elections but declared the elections rigged and refused to take up their mandates. These elections triggered mass protests across the country.
The 2024 elections received the most negative assessment in history from the OSCE regarding elections held in Georgia, the statement added.
The parties highlight the following violations and negative circumstances mentioned in the report:
⇒ New laws modeled after Russian legislation negatively impacted fundamental freedoms and civil society;
⇒ Politicization of institutions involved in the electoral process for electoral gain;
⇒ Pressure and intimidation of voters, preventing many from expressing their true preferences on election day due to fear of reprisals;
⇒ Widespread violations of voting secrecy, including video recording of the voting process to control voters’ choices, undermining public trust in the elections;
⇒ Inadequate handling of complaints and lack of effective legal remedies in the post-election period;
⇒ Violent suppression of protests, including arrests and mistreatment of participants;
⇒ Polarization and instrumentalization of the media, limiting voters’ ability to make informed choices;
⇒ Insufficient monitoring of political financing and significant resource imbalance favoring the ruling party;
⇒ Specific pressure on public servants;
⇒ Ineffectiveness of mechanisms to address electoral violations.
Statement by four opposition forces
“The illegitimate government of Georgia, led by Bidzina Ivanishvili, has been deceiving Georgian voters since October 26 by claiming that the final OSCE/ODIHR report could legitimize the power usurpation by ‘Georgian Dream.’
In reality, the published conclusions and comprehensive recommendations from the OSCE/ODIHR have confirmed the illegitimacy of the election results, providing grounds for holding new parliamentary elections.
The OSCE/ODIHR report specifies that the organization’s mandate does not include determining the legitimacy of elections. It can only assess the electoral process’s compliance with international standards.
When an organization that does not typically use such terminology in its findings feels compelled to emphasize this fact in its report, thereby raising the question of election legitimacy, it indicates a lack of legitimacy.
Regarding the assessment of the electoral process itself, which falls within the OSCE/ODIHR’s mandate, the organization gives a sharply negative evaluation, highlighting numerous violations, including the fundamental principle of voting secrecy.
The OSCE report unequivocally notes a lack of voter trust in the electoral process, evidenced by the post-election political crisis, mass protests, and their violent suppression, violating citizens’ fundamental rights.”
The OSCE/ODIHR has published its final report on the October 26 parliamentary elections in Georgia, stating that the elections took place against a troubling backdrop.
● The report highlights violations of voting secrecy and voter intimidation. The elections were not conducted in accordance with OSCE/ODIHR recommendations and standards, the report states.
● It emphasizes that recent legislative changes negatively affected fundamental freedoms and civil society, reduced the independence of institutions involved in the electoral process, and increased pressure on voters.
● These issues, along with violations observed on election day, affected some voters who feared becoming victims of reprisals during the voting process, the report notes.
● The OSCE/ODIHR also observed that post-election complaints were inadequately addressed, leading to limited legal remedies. The report also stresses that the violent dispersal of protests and mass arrests raised serious concerns about compliance with international commitments to freedom of peaceful assembly.
● The OSCE underscores that Georgian authorities must address these issues to uphold democratic principles.
Georgian opposition welcomes OSCE election report
