Local monitoring organizations demand new elections in Georgia following critical OSCE/ODIHR report

Local monitoring organizations in Georgia have declared the OSCE/ODIHR’s final report on the October 26 parliamentary elections as “extremely critical,” further solidifying their call for new elections in the country.

In a joint statement issued on December 21, organizations noted that the report “comprehensively outlines the multitude of violations observed during the parliamentary elections” and aligns closely with the findings and assessments of domestic observer missions.

The statement highlights key issues raised in the OSCE/ODIHR report, including:

* Frequent and, at times, expedited amendments to electoral legislation, raising concerns about its political misuse.
* Deterioration in the process of forming election commissions and challenges to the independence of election administration.
* A blurred line between the ruling party and the state during the pre-election period, misuse of administrative resources, and the ruling party’s financial advantages.
* Intimidation of voters, including public sector employees and vulnerable groups, leading to potential constraints on voters’ ability to make free and fearless choices.

Although election day was deemed technically organized, the OSCE/ODIHR report emphasized a tense environment due to widespread voter intimidation. The report also detailed instances of physical altercations, breaches of ballot secrecy, and coercive tactics, primarily attributed to the ruling Georgian Dream party. Furthermore, the process of resolving election disputes was described as ineffective, marked by procedural inconsistencies, vague legal frameworks, and a lack of substantial review.

The statement underscores the OSCE/ODIHR’s critical evaluation of post-election dispute resolution, which it said undermined the right to appeal. Many complaints were dismissed without substantive review.

The monitoring organizations—Fair Elections and Democracy International Society (ISFED), Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), and My Voice Observation Mission, a coalition of 30 civil society organizations—emphasized that the OSCE/ODIHR’s mandate does not involve validating or rejecting elections but rather assessing member states’ adherence to their commitments. This allows Georgian citizens to evaluate the quality of elections independently.

The organizations reiterated their call for new elections, citing the OSCE/ODIHR report as undeniable evidence of significant flaws in Georgia’s electoral processes.