International observers alarmed as Transparency International Georgia forced to suspend election monitoring

International concerns have escalated over the integrity of Georgia’s upcoming parliamentary elections after Transparency International Georgia was compelled to halt its election monitoring activities.

This move follows a controversial decision by the country’s Anti-Corruption Bureau last month, which categorized the prominent civil society group and its executive director, Eka Gigauri, as entities with “declared electoral purposes”.

The decision has drawn sharp criticism from a PACE delegation led by Claude Kern of France and Edith Estrella of Portugal. Iulian Bulai, the Romanian head of the PACE mission to Georgia, echoed these concerns, stating that barring reputable organizations from monitoring the election process damages public trust in democracy.

“We are deeply troubled by the Anti-Corruption Bureau’s actions,” the co-rapporteurs said in a statement. “This undermines confidence in the democratic nature of the elections and limits the transparency that is essential for a fair process.”

Despite this setback, Transparency International Georgia has vowed to continue advocating for free and fair elections, albeit without its usual organizational backing.