Georgian Parliament Speaker urges foreign diplomats to respect Vienna Convention, Georgian law ahead of local elections

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday called on foreign diplomats accredited in Georgia to adhere to the Vienna Convention and respect the country’s electoral laws as the local self-government elections approach.

In a social media post, Papuashvili emphasised the importance of non-interference in Georgia’s electoral process following the President’s announcement of the election date.

“Today, the President of Georgia has scheduled the date for municipal elections. Starting today, regulations related to the pre-election campaign come into effect, which, amongst others, concern participation in agitation in favour of or against an electoral entity. The electoral legislation applies to all persons present in Georgia, including foreign diplomats. According to Article 41 of the Vienna Convention, diplomats are obliged to respect the laws of the receiving state. They also have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of that State”, Papuashvili said.

The Speaker expressed concern over past violations, stating, “unfortunately, during the last parliamentary elections, we frequently witnessed the participation of foreign politicians and diplomats in pre-election activities, both through statements and through financing agitation. This was a gross violation of both the Vienna Convention as well as Georgian legislation”.

He further framed the upcoming elections as a test of respect for Georgia’s sovereignty.

“This must not be repeated. This is why, I address, in particular, foreign diplomats accredited in Georgia to respect the Vienna Convention, respect Georgian legislation, and respect the right of the Georgian people to make their choice without foreign interference. These elections will be a test to see who respects the sovereignty of the Georgian people, and who just respects khinkali. We will monitor this matter in detail”, Papuashvili concluded.