The elections in Georgia were discussed in the European Parliament. EP members believe that the EU should not recognize their results. The deputies speak about “serious” violations and Russia's influence. They believe an international investigation is necessary and call for a strict response to falsifications.
The debate was insisted on by French MEP Nathalie Loiseau. A career diplomat and politician, the former European Affairs Minister personally observed the voting in Georgia on October 26. Together with six other colleagues from the EP, she visited Marneuli, where the most serious violations were recorded and the ruling Georgian Dream received almost 90%.
Loiseau shared her first impressions of the Georgian elections with the French media, calling them a “triumph of fraud.” She pushed at the last minute to include Georgia on the agenda of the November 13 meeting. Loiseau also proposed that after the debate, the European Parliament vote on a resolution on Georgia. Her proposal was supported by 309 MEPs, 191 opposed and 34 abstained.
The vote will take place at the plenary session on November 25-28.
“There was intimidation, confiscation of identity cards. This is a full set of election fraud tools that I have seen in Georgia,” Loiseau said during the debate.
She called Georgia's ruling party “a Georgian nightmare,” pointing out that it “goes back to Vladimir Putin” and wants to ban the opposition. Loiseau called for support for those protesting in Georgia against “stolen elections” and “continuing to fight for independence.”
Margaritis Schinas, deputy chairman of the European Commission, spoke at the debate. He pointed out that the elections in Georgia were “characterized by very serious irregularities and violence,” both on voting day and during the campaign.
“The elections did not meet the standards of a country that should have the status of an EU candidate,” he said.
Schinas used the word “regime” to refer to Georgia's ruling party. He stressed that it enjoyed “unequal conditions” and “instrumentalized the fear of war, presenting itself as the only political force capable of maintaining stability and peace in the country.” This, he said, was accompanied by the suppression of dissent, the spread of disinformation and claims as if Georgia was continuing its path to the European Union.
“These tactics worked against the opposition, which was already fragmented and lacked similar resources,” the EC deputy head said.
He emphasized that any future relations with the Georgian government would be based on “clear and strict conditions.” They imply reduction of political contacts, suspension of financial aid and freezing of EU accession talks.
“The measures taken will remain in force until the Georgian government changes its course of action,” Schinas said.
The EC deputy head added that the Georgian authorities need to implement nine recommendations of the European Commission in order to restore relations with the EU.
“The Georgian government must realize that fake news, anti-European rhetoric must be withdrawn, as well as laws on 'family values' and 'foreign influence'.” Without repeal of the laws and democratic reforms, Georgia will not be able to develop on the path of progress. Georgia has no other alternative on the European path,” he emphasized.
Giorgio Gori, a member of the European Parliament from Italy, spoke about the influence of “laws inspired by Russia” on the elections. He pointed out that they “completely contradict the fundamental standards and values” of the European Union and lead the country off its European path, although “among the candidate countries Georgia is the most pro-European in terms of the aspirations of its citizens and especially the youth.”
“Unfortunately, voters were not given the opportunity to express their opinions freely on October 26,” Giorgio said. ‘Fighting this interference is crucial to ensure a stable and democratic future for the country...It is our great responsibility to use all means at our disposal to support, preserve and defend these aspirations so that the Georgian people can live in a country free of corruption and respectful of fundamental freedoms, rights and democracy,’ the MP said.
Polish MEP Malgorzata Goszewska addressed the deputy head of the European Commission with a warning: “History teaches us that dictators try to gain power through democratic elections, but if they do not want to give up power, they become a threat not only to their country, but also to the international community.”
Goshevskaya believes that “after the 2020 elections, Georgia is on the path of an authoritarian regime.” She added that people who “made money from Russian investments” and “have connections with criminal groups in certain circles” remain in power in the country today.
“Therefore, I urge you, European Commissioner, to isolate the current Georgian government by suspending European funds for it, introducing a visa regime and creating a sanitary cordon for representatives of this system around the world,” the MP said.
Her Lithuanian colleague Rasa Jukniaviciene spoke in the same vein.
“EU membership is incompatible with the oligarchic system. To be more clear, EU membership will be possible only after the country is de-bidzinized,” Yukniaviciene said.
“Corrupt oligarchic forces, with the help of the Kremlin, are trying to gain power everywhere in the post-Soviet space. This happened a few years ago in Ukraine, Moldova and many other places. Georgia is no exception. The European Union must say clearly that the elections in Georgia were not democratic, we do not recognize them and the Georgian Dream did not win. We must demand an independent international investigation,” she said.
Jukniaviciene believes that already now the European Union should reconsider the visa-free regime with Georgia and completely stop cooperating with the country's state institutions.
“I say all this with regret. The Georgian people deserve better. They support Georgia's pro-European path and they want the EU to support them. From now on, the EU should speak clearly to both Georgian society and the Georgian Dream, which stole the elections from them,” the MP said.
Those who spoke in defense of the Georgian authorities were few. One of them was Andras Laszlo, a Hungarian deputy in the European Parliament and a member of Viktor Orban's Fidesz party. According to his assessment, the elections in Georgia were fair, “there were only minor provocations and incidents, but nothing happened that could not have happened in any other country.”
The Georgian Dream was also supported by MP Hans Neuhoff, a member of the far-right Alternative for Germany party. He stated that “Georgians are intelligent and proud people, they are open to Europe but do not want to succumb to the rainbow agenda of Brussels.”
Reprinted from https://www.newsgeorgia.ge/
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