UNM’s Tsitlidze: EU statement confirms our position - only right choice was election boycott, protest

One of the leaders of the opposition United National Movement (UNM), Anna Tsitlidze, has claimed that the latest declaration by the European Union had confirmed what the opposition had maintained “from day one” - that the October 4 vote in Georgia did not constitute real elections, but rather a “Russian special operation.”

Tsitlidze alleged the EU’s critical tone toward the process had demonstrated that “boycott and protest” were the only legitimate responses to what she described as a fraudulent and undemocratic event.

“The EU’s statement once again confirms what we have been saying since the beginning - the only correct and principled decision was to boycott and protest the so-called elections. There were no elections in this country - it was a Russian special operation held without any international observation,” Tsitlidze said.
“This reaction from our international partners is absolutely logical. Before October 4, they had already warned that under dictatorial conditions no free elections could take place. These elections were conducted without any democratic standards. This must serve as a lesson, including for those two opposition parties that ignored our calls for boycott and entered the race - the results written by Georgian Dream speak for themselves. The only way to defeat the regime is non-cooperation, boycott, and resistance,” she added.

Tsitlidze’s remarks came after the European Union released a statement expressing concern over the conduct of Georgia’s recent elections and the political environment in which they were held. EU officials noted the absence of international monitoring and emphasized the need for democratic safeguards and freedom of political participation.