Georgian PM says US House Judiciary materials validate Georgia’s claims about EU election interference

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday said Georgia had witnessed direct examples of interference in its elections, adding that recently released American documents illustrate issues the Georgian Government had been raising for several years.

Kobakhidze made the statement while responding to a journalist’s question regarding criticism expressed by the US House Judiciary Committee toward the European Commission over involvement in election processes in various countries.

“In Georgia’s case, we have directly witnessed specific examples of interference. Among them, the most striking example was the EU Ambassador’s direct public address and call on the Georgian people to support the opposition against the incumbent Government. It is hard to imagine a more blatant and direct form of interference”, he said.

The Prime Minister further highlighted that these attempts were part of a coordinated mechanism targeting the country’s democratic institutions.

“What is reflected in US documents is something we saw with our own eyes in Georgia. Of course, everyone must respect our democratic system. There was a very simple, coordinated mechanism aimed against Georgia’s constitutional order. You will recall that a specific EU representative openly came out in support of a declared attempt to overthrow the Government. These were all coordinated steps. When Georgian citizens are involved in such schemes, appropriate responsibility must, of course, follow. This is necessary to stabilise our system, stabilize our country, and establish a healthy democratic order”, he noted.

Kobakhidze also pointed out that Georgia’s early warnings about democratic backsliding and human rights concerns within the EU had often gone unheeded, making the country one of the few to speak out internationally.

“Ultimately, US documents bring to light everything we have been talking about for several years. At the time, we were alone - almost the only country, apart from one or two EU member states, and perhaps one or two additional countries globally”, he said.

“Georgia was a very rare exception that spoke about the problems existing within the EU, including democratic backsliding and human rights concerns. US documents have once again lifted the veil on all of this, which is, of course, very welcome”, Kobakhidze concluded.