Shalva Papuashvili, Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, has stated that the OSCE/ODIHR’s final report on the recent parliamentary elections aligns with the governing Georgian Dream party’s assessment, reinforcing the elections as free and competitive. Papuashvili made the remarks during a press briefing on Saturday, emphasizing that the report serves to dispel harmful speculation about the integrity of the electoral process.
According to Papuashvili, the report highlighted key positive aspects of the elections, including the availability of a wide choice for voters, the freedom of political parties to campaign, and the peaceful campaign environment. He emphasized that the Central Election Commission (CEC) was commended for its organization and timely announcement of results, while the State Services Development Agency was praised for compiling an accurate voter list. ”Notably, 90% of polling stations were positively evaluated on election day,” he claimed.
Papuashvili underscored that the report revealed significant flaws in opposition claims and tactics. He outlined five major “false narratives” promoted by the opposition and its allies that were debunked by the OSCE/ODIHR report:
* Unopened Polling Stations Abroad: The opposition falsely claimed that Georgian citizens abroad were denied their voting rights. The report did not cite any evidence of such issues.
* 300,000 Fraudulent Votes: Claims of widespread vote falsification, including alleged “fake voters,” were dismissed. The OSCE/ODIHR found no evidence of voter list inaccuracies or ballot manipulation.
* Multiple Voting with a Single ID: Allegations that individuals voted multiple times with duplicate IDs were also debunked. An independent audit confirmed no such irregularities.
* Russian Interference: Opposition accusations of Russian meddling in the elections were unsubstantiated in the report, which made no mention of external interference.
* Ballot Marking Leaks: Concerns about ballot transparency due to ink leaks were addressed. The report acknowledged isolated instances but emphasized these had no significant impact on voter privacy or election outcomes.
Papuashvili also highlighted critical points from the report, such as concerns about Georgia’s polarized political environment and media landscape. The OSCE/ODIHR criticized the use of private broadcasters for political propaganda, which undermined independent journalism. Opposition parties, according to the report, avoided debates on public broadcasters and failed to allocate free advertising airtime, violating regulations.
Another key issue raised was the conduct of Georgia’s President Salome Zourabichvili. The report noted her active role in pre-election consultations with opposition parties, which Papuashvili called a breach of constitutional neutrality.
The Speaker concluded by emphasizing the Georgian government’s commitment to addressing the report’s recommendations and further improving electoral standards. He called on the opposition to respect the electorate’s will and cease spreading disinformation that undermines democracy.
Papuashvili expressed gratitude to the OSCE/ODIHR delegation for their thorough work, adding that the government remains open to collaboration to ensure future elections are conducted at the highest standards.
