Ruling party head says election watchdog has “no place” in Parliamentary working groups
Kobakhidze was reacting to the statement of the United States Ambassador Kelly Degnan, who earlier today said ISFED was a “highly respected” and experienced election monitoring organisation. Photo: Georgian Dream Press Office
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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.
Kobakhidze was reacting to the statement of the United States Ambassador Kelly Degnan, who earlier today said ISFED was a “highly respected” and experienced election monitoring organisation.
I don't want to get into too much debate with Madam Ambassador, because I really regret the statements that are being made about ISFED and their rigging of the parallel vote tabulation [in the 2020 elections]”, Kobakhidze said in reference to erroneous vote calculations the organisation was forced to admit during the elections.
“Our stance on ISFED was very soft, despite its rigging of the parallel vote tabulation and demands of the resignation of the [Georgian] Government. We proposed they distance themselves from this demand, although their position was very rigid, which indicates that they intend to participate in revolutionary processes in the future”, the GD official said.
Kobakhidze noted in the circumstances it was “natural” that neither ISFED nor “similar organisations” would have a place in the Parliamentary working groups.
Everything is as clear as day - the parallel vote tabulation was rigged, the data over [supposed] election fraud was rigged, which served to implement the radical opposition's revolutionary scenario. This does not need to be covered up - this needs to be acknowledged, which is the best way for ISFED and other similar organisations to at least repair their reputation”, Kobakhidze noted.
Earlier today, in her comments over the matter, Degnan stressed ISFED had been “transparent” about the mistake in the calculations as soon as they were able to confirm it.
“And that is why it is so important that ISFED and other civil society organisations - that have expertise in election monitoring and conducting elections - are able to participate in Georgia’s electoral reform working groups”, she said.
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 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”.
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”.
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.
Electoral amendments necessary for obtaining the European Union membership candidate status for Georgia will be proposed in September by the Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee, with the bill drafted in line with recommendations of the Parliamentary working group set up earlier this month to address electoral issues, ruling Georgian Dream party MP Givi Mikanadze said on Thursday.
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.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday said “any demand” of snap Parliamentary elections being held in the country was “completely irrelevant”.
The Georgian Parliament on Thursday adopted amendments to the country’s electoral code in their penultimate reading as part of the conditions set by the European Union in June for granting it the membership candidate status.
The Georgian Parliament on Thursday adopted amendments to the country’s electoral code in their third reading, as part of the recommendations set by the European Union in June for granting it the membership candidate status, with multi-party support.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the country’s authorities were “ready to inform everyone” about risks of interference in domestic elections “if such threats are observed”, following a warning by the United States for more than 100 states across the world over Russia’s alleged plans to “undermine confidence” in democratic process and fair elections.