Giorgi Sharabidze, the Deputy Chairman of Georgia’s Central Election Commission, on Monday called on international organizations and the diplomatic community to condemn the “personal attacks” directed at election officials, following an incident during a session last week, when an opposition representative threw black paint on Commission Chair Giorgi Kalandarishvili.
Speaking at a briefing, Sharabidze emphasized the actions witnessed at the meeting, coupled with “ongoing bullying campaigns” on social media, had “surpassed the boundaries of acceptable protest and ethical conduct”.
The attacks, he said, were an “attempt to undermine the authority” of the CEC chairman, and discredit the institution as a whole.
“This campaign of discredit and bullying has escalated in recent days. It has moved beyond civil protest into the realm of personal attacks, invading private spaces and defying ethical standards,” Sharabidze stated. “These actions serve as a clear indication that those behind the campaign lack factual evidence to substantiate their accusations regarding the election process.”
Sharabidze reiterated that the CEC had sought to address concerns transparently by turning to the prosecutor’s office for an investigation. However, he suggested that the disinformation campaign aimed at creating false perceptions had intensified, particularly as international monitoring organizations had reported positively on the conduct of the elections.
The deputy chairman warned that if the international community ignores such incidents, it could set a dangerous precedent, undermining the independence of election commissions worldwide.
“We hope our international partners will reflect on these events in their final reports and make it clear whether these actions align with international and European standards of protest,” he added.
Sharabidze expressed gratitude to international colleagues from other election administrations for their support, emphasizing the importance of solidarity in safeguarding the independence of election bodies.
