International observers report significant violations in Georgia’s parliamentary elections: voter intimidation and abuse of administrative resources
The parliamentary elections in Georgia were held with significant violations.
This is stated in a statement by the international mission ENEMO, Censor.NET reports.
The ENEMO statement said that the parliamentary elections in Georgia were held "in a polarized and restrictive environment that undermined inclusiveness, transparency and fairness, which significantly jeopardized the democratic integrity of the electoral process."
Serious violations included violence against opposition members, intimidation of voters, smear campaigns targeting observers, and abuse of administrative resources.
"The restrictive application of the campaign rules put pressure on civil society and media, as well as limited competition and opportunities for criticizing the government," said Zlatko Vujovic, head of the mission.
ENEMO also has concerns about the independence and impartiality of the Central Election Commission.
"The cumulative impact of these observed problems has significantly jeopardized the democratic integrity of the electoral process," Vujovic said.
As a reminder, Georgian opposition political forces have stated that they do not recognize the results of the parliamentary elections, which were "stolen" by the Georgian Dream, and called for protests.
