The conclusions of the report presented by Iulian Bulai (Romania, ALDE) on the observation of the parliamentary elections in Georgia on 26 October 2024 "raise concerns about the correctness of the election results, namely whether the election results truly reflect the will of the voters".
The report highlights a number of issues that "significantly undermined the fairness of the electoral process and challenged the legitimacy of its results", including unequal competition conditions between political parties, with a clear advantage given to the ruling party with administrative resources used to its benefit.
The report also refers to a high polarisation, concerns about the transparency and fairness of the electoral process, the politicisation of State institutions, and a widespread climate of intimidation and pressure targeting both voters and activists. It points out that the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence contributed to the stigmatisation of civil society groups, independent media, and dissenting voices. The PACE delegation also noted with concern breaches of voting secrecy and last-minute changes made to the electoral process calling into question its transparency.
In this context, the delegation encouraged the Georgian authorities, in particular, to revise the electoral framework ahead of the 2025 local elections, to restore impartiality of the Central Election Commission and the Anti-Corruption Bureau, in line with the recommendations of the Venice Commission and the GRECO, and to launch a comprehensive review of the electoral legislation.
In addition, the report calls for "swift, credible and transparent investigations into all irregularities and allegations of vote manipulation"; to restore a climate conducive to competitive electoral campaigns "by repealing the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence"; and to enhance voting secrecy.
