Georgian ruling party executive secretary questions calls to invite OSCE observers to local elections

The parliamentary majority leader in Georgia has questioned recent calls for the OSCE’s election watchdog to observe upcoming local self-government elections, accusing critics of undermining public trust in the electoral process.

Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Georgian Dream ruling party executive secretary, on Thursday dismissed the concerns on social media, claiming the opposition had questioned the OSCE/ODIHR presence during the last year’s parliamentary vote, while now they were questioning the government’s decision not to invite them to observe the October municipal race. 

“When they lose the elections, they blame the people for it…”, he added. 

Mdinaradze’s comments come amid growing calls from opposition groups and international partners, including the British Embassy in Tbilisi, urging the Georgian government to invite the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to monitor the polls. Critics argue that independent observation is vital to ensuring electoral transparency amid concerns over “democratic backsliding.”

The government, however, has insisted that such monitoring was not a standard requirement for local contests and viewed the calls as politically motivated.