US calls for investigation of election violations in Georgia - Blinken

Washington calls on Tbilisi to conduct a full investigation of data and reports of violations related to the October 26 parliamentary elections in Georgia. The United States encourages the country's political leaders to address the shortcomings in the electoral process.

This was stated by U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, RBC-Ukraine reports citing the U.S. State Department.

According to him, in 2024, international and local observers noted “a pre-election atmosphere marked by the ruling party's misuse of public resources, vote buying, and voter intimidation that contributed to an uneven playing field and undermined public and international confidence in the possibility of a fair outcome.”

Blinken noted that international and local observers agreed that Election Day in Georgia “generally went well,” but the U.S. side noted reports of voting irregularities and violence.

“International observers did not recognize the result as free and fair. We condemn all violations of international norms and join calls by international and local observers for a full investigation of all reports of election-related violations,” he said in a statement.

The US foreign policy chief also added that Washington encourages Georgia's political leaders to “respect the rule of law, repeal legislation that undermines fundamental freedoms, and work together to address shortcomings in the electoral process.”

Author - Olena Madiak, 28/10/2024