CoE Calls on Georgia to Ensure Fair Elections

Walter Schwimmer, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, called on the Georgian authorities and the opposition forces to ensure that the elections are held in accordance with Council of Europe standards.

“What is most important is not the number of parliamentary seats won or lost, but the legitimacy of the elections in the eyes of the voters and the European public as a whole. Georgia needs and deserves free and fair elections,” said Walter Schwimmer.

As the press release issued by the Council of Europe on October 31 reads, the Secretary General insisted that the voter lists must be accurate and public throughout the country.

He also stressed that election-related violence was unacceptable in a democracy and that those who commit electoral fraud must be held responsible through a proper judicial procedure, not through street violence.

A delegation from the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly will observe the November 2 parliamentary elections in Georgia.