On November 9, three key watchdogs, Transparency International (TI) Georgia, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) and Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) released a joint statement urging all political parties to participate in political dialogue and negotiations, including by the international community’s mediation.
The watchdogs said there is still a chance to find a way out of the “political impasse” through dialogue, despite the fact that October 31 parliamentary elections were “clearly a step back” and “the worst elections held under the Georgian Dream government.”
The joint statement said that to preserve stability in Georgia, it is important for politicians to resolve at the negotiating table the issues regarding recounting the ballots in problematic precincts, as well as the fair conduct of the runoffs. “It is important for each party to do its best to help the country avoid a most serious crisis,” the watchdogs asserted.
The watchdogs stated that the current political situation was “further aggravated” due to the actions of the law enforcers against the demonstrators in front of the Central Election Commission (CEC) building yesterday when the police attempted to disperse the crowds by using water cannons, a decision which was largely assessed by the CSOs and the Public Defender’s Office as “unjustified.”
Follow our Election Live Blog for more updates on the October 31 parliamentary elections.
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