Georgian senior MP slams OSCE amendments as ‘absurd’ at Parliamentary Assembly session

Nikoloz Samkharadze, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Georgian Parliament, has criticised recent amendments proposed within the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, calling them “absurd” and accusing their authors of undermining the credibility of the organisation’s observation missions.

Speaking during a session of the Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs at the annual OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Samkharadze expressed concern over proposals relating to Georgia’s constitutional changes and parliamentary elections held last year. He addressed a Polish MP, the author of the initiative, questioning their motives.

“The first two proposals contradict the findings of the OSCE/ODIHR report,” he said. “Why is this Assembly member attempting to undermine the credibility of our own observation mission? If election results don’t align with personal political views or those of one’s allies in opposition parties, does that justify casting doubt on OSCE/ODIHR?”

Samkharadze warned that such statements, reflected in the proposed amendments, risked damaging the OSCE’s reputation in Georgia. “Georgia is a committed member of the OSCE and respects the organisation, but if these absurd claims continue, the OSCE will lose its credibility among the Georgian public,” he added.

The Georgian MP also addressed an amendment that alleged a strengthening of ties between Tbilisi and Moscow, calling the claim unfounded and misleading.

“Georgia, alongside Ukraine, is the only country in this Assembly without diplomatic relations with Russia, due to the occupation of 20% of our territory,” he noted. “What kind of strengthening of ties are we discussing here? The author should present concrete evidence.”

He further criticised a clause suggesting that the Georgian government was attempting to consolidate power through controversial legislation. Samkharadze challenged the Assembly to specify which laws were being referred to and provide evidence of their undemocratic or unconstitutional nature.

Touching on Georgia’s path toward European Union membership, Samkharadze said discussions on this matter were ongoing directly between Tbilisi and Brussels, and lay outside the OSCE's mandate.