European Parliament Does Not Recognize the Results of Georgia's Parliamentary Elections and Calls for Sanctions Against "Georgian Dream"

Due to significant violations, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have rejected the results of Georgia's recent parliamentary elections held on October 26 and are calling for the elections to be rerun within the year,  a resolution adopted by the European lawmakers on Thursday.

The elections in Georgia, a candidate country for EU membership, were neither free nor fair, marking yet another step back for the country’s democracy. The ruling party, "Georgian Dream," is held responsible for this.

MEPs condemn numerous and serious violations during the elections, including documented cases of voter intimidation, vote manipulation, interference with the work of observers, and media manipulation. The election results announced by the country’s Central Election Commission are "not a reliable reflection of the will of the Georgian people," the resolution notes.

The international community, along with Members of the European Parliament, is calling for new elections to be held under strict international supervision and with an independent electoral administration.

The European Union (EU) is urged to impose sanctions and restrict official contacts with the Georgian government. The European Parliament calls on the EU and its member states to introduce personal sanctions against Georgian officials and political leaders responsible for electoral law violations and abuses.

In particular, sanctions should target Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and General Secretary of "Georgian Dream" Kaha Kaladze, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, and former Prime Minister and oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili.

The European Parliament also strongly condemned Russia's systematic interference in Georgia’s democratic processes through disinformation.