Georgian PM: OSCE/ODIHR skipped local elections due to unprecedented attacks by radical opposition and their foreign backers
Politics
Irakli Kobakhidze
Photo: Administration of the Georgian Government
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Saturday attributed the OSCE/ODIHR’s decision not to observe the local self-government elections to unprecedented attacks from the radical opposition and their foreign patrons, which he said prompted the organisation to exercise restraint.
In his remarks, Kobakhidze underlined that despite the OSCE/ODIHR’s absence, a significant number of international observers were present to monitor the ongoing elections.
“In reality, a large number of observers have arrived. The Central Election Commission held a briefing, and many observers are here - over 1,000, if I’m not mistaken. We also invited the OSCE/ODIHR, but they responded that they could not assemble a mission”, Kobakhidze said.
The Prime Minister dismissed this explanation as an excuse, recalling that in 2007 the organisation was able to form a mission just one month before elections.
“In 2007, the OSCE/ODIHR was invited a month before the elections, and it was very easy to assemble a mission then, so this timeframe was merely an excuse. I believe the main reason the OSCE/ODIHR did not come to Georgia is the unprecedented attacks from the radical opposition and their foreign patrons against OSCE/ODIHR. On this backdrop, the OSCE/ODIHR had a reason to exercise restraint. In three years, the OSCE/ODIHR will definitely be in Georgia and, as is customary, will monitor the parliamentary elections”, he concluded.
The Georgian Government formally invited ODIHR to observe the October 4 elections on September 6. However, on September 9, it became known that the body had declined to send a mission to Georgia, citing lack of time.
Local self-government elections are taking place in Georgia, with citizens voting to elect municipal council members and mayors for a four-year term.
Georgians are casting their ballots to select representatives to 64 local councils (Sakrebulo) and 64 mayors across the country.
