US senators: backsliding in municipal elections will harm country’s western integration

US Senators Jeanne Shaheen and  Ron Johnson say that if the October 2 municipal elections in Georgia are not held in line with democratic standards, it will complicate the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration process. 

 

The senators have told Voice of America that they will ‘closely observe’ the elections. 

 

Shaheen said that the US, which is a strategic partner of Georgia, must see that the Georgian people trust the election results and political parties also respect them. 

 

She said that the US must also see a fair court in Georgia which will always act independently. 

 

Johnson stated that the Georgian people enjoy the bipartisan support of the US state legislature and that senators never stand by a particular Georgian party. 

 

However, he said that the US demands free and fair elections and a fair process before, during and after the elections.