Independent MP on election watchdog: if they want to be “revolutionary and follow Lenin’s path” they should name themselves accordingly
In his comments over the matter, Subari evoked the situation following the 2020 Parliamentary elections, when the election watchdog had found itself embroiled in scandal after admitting to making a mistake in their parallel vote tabulation. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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Sozar Subari, a member of Popular Force, a recently launched public movement composed of the former ruling Georgian Dream party MPs who exited the team in June, on Monday criticised the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, a Georgian-based election watchdog, by saying “if they want to be revolutionary and follow Lenin’s path, they should name themselves as a revolutionary party”.
In his comments over the matter, Subari evoked the situation following the 2020 Parliamentary elections, when the election watchdog had found itself embroiled in scandal after admitting to making a mistake in their parallel vote tabulation.
Following the elections and before the organisation admitted to the error, all eight opposition parties that won seats had rejected the vote as “rigged”, citing irregularities raised by ISFED and other watchdogs among the evidence.
“Of course, this is no longer a non-governmental organisation, much less a reliable non-governmental organisation. It is an ordinary revolutionary organisation with its own goals”, Subari said.
If they want to be revolutionary and follow Lenin’s path, they should name themselves as a revolutionary party. If they want to be a non-governmental organisation, then they should acknowledge all the crimes they have committed. Rigging is a crime”, he added in reference to the election incident.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chairman of the Committee on Human Rights of the Georgian Parliament, on Monday said ISFED should “distance itself” from “improperly made” demands that “are not suitable for an NGO”.
Popular Force on Monday released a statement saying by standing up for ISFED against its exclusion from the Parliamentary work on European Union membership status for Georgia - justified by ruling party officials due to the organisation’s participation in opposition protests - the United States Embassy was backing a return to power of the opposition United National Movement party through “revolution” and opening of a “second front” of the ongoing Ukraine war in Georgia.
The comment followed a statement by the Embassy that said “the exclusion of ISFED, one of Georgia’s most trusted and experienced election observation organisations, from the Parliamentary working group on election reforms directly contradicts the European Commission’s recommendation that Georgia ensure the involvement of civil society in decision-making processes at all levels”.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chairman of the Committee on Human Rights of the Georgian Parliament, on Monday said the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, a Georgian-based election watchdog, should “distance itself” from “improperly made” demands that “are not suitable for an NGO”.
Popular Force, a newly launched public movement composed of the former ruling Georgian Dream party MPs who exited the team in June, on Monday released a statement saying by standing up for the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, a Georgian-based election watchdog, the United States Embassy was backing a return to power of the opposition United National Movement party through “revolution” and opening of a “second front” of the ongoing Ukraine war in Georgia.
The involvement of non-governmental organisations is “extensive”, as at least two NGOs - about 200 NGOs in whole - are represented in every Parliamentary working group, created to review judicial reforms for fulfilling the conditions outlined by the European Union for granting Georgia the membership candidate status, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili told reporters on Sunday.
United States Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan on Wednesday said allegations of the Embassy’s interference in Georgia’s domestic institutions by several Georgian MPs were “reckless conspiracy theories” and had no basis.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the statement by the United States Embassy that criticised the exclusion of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, a Georgian-based election watchdog, from Parliamentary work on conditions for obtaining European Union membership candidate status for Georgia was “shocking”.
Kelly Degnan, the United States Ambassador to Georgia, on Wednesday vowed support for the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, a Georgian-based election watchdog, by saying it was a “highly respected” and experienced election monitoring organisation.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, a Georgian-based election watchdog, had “no place” in the Parliamentary working groups discussing reforms for obtaining the European Union membership candidate status for the country.
Popular Force, a newly launched public movement composed of the former ruling Georgian Dream party MPs who exited the team in June, on Friday released a statement saying the United States Embassy “cannot get used” to a sovereign Georgian Government that “does not push the country towards war” amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.