President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) MP Attila Mesterhazy issued a statement on November 6 regarding Georgia’s October 31 parliamentary elections and expressed concern about “significant issues related to the implementation of the electoral framework during the campaign and on election day.”
MP Mesterhazy said these shortcomings “affected public confidence in parts of the process,” and urged the Georgian authorities to investigate alleged violations “in a rigorous, transparent, and fair manner.”
He seconded the international observers however, evaluating the parliamentary vote as “competitive,” and underlining that overall, fundamental freedoms were respected during the campaign and on election day.
The NATO PA President then called on the authorities and political parties to “ensure that the type of intimidation of voters and other negative practices that were observed in the first round” do not take place during the expected November 21 runoffs.
“I urge all political stakeholders to act responsibly and with restraint in the coming weeks. I also call on them to resume dialogue at the earliest opportunity to settle their differences peacefully and in a democratic manner,” MP Mesterhazy underscored.
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