Budapest (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The leaders of France, Germany and Poland urged Georgia to quickly investigate “numerous irregularities” during a recent election succeeded by the Russia-leaning ruling party but challenged by the pro-Western opposition.
The leaders of three EU member states of France, Germany, and Poland on November 7 insisted Georgia investigate allegations of widespread voting irregularities during last month’s parliamentary elections and called on Tbilisi to reverse Russian-inspired legislation.
Georgia’s pro-European opposition, which has rejected to recognize the result of the elections, has been holding extensive daily protests in Tbilisi after the Moscow-friendly Georgian Dream party, which has been in strength for the past 12 years, claimed success with 54 per cent of the vote. Georgia’s pro-European president, Salome Zurabishvili, also declined to recognize the truth of the results, alleging a massive scam and Russian interference.
What actions do France, Germany, and Poland expect from Georgia?
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated in a joint statement that they were “deeply troubled by the numerous irregularities and voter intimidation” reported during the vote.
Macron, Scholz, and Tusk, in a statement under the so-called Weimar Triangle format, warned that the steps taken recently by the Georgian government were threatening Tbilisi’s progress toward eventual membership in the bloc.
“Unless Georgia reverses its current course of action and demonstrates tangible reform efforts, in particular by repealing recent legislation that runs counter to European values and principles, we will not be in a position to support the opening of accession negotiations with Georgia,” the three leaders expressed as they gathered in Budapest for a discussion of the European Political Community, as well as an informal EU summit.
Georgia has been a candidate for EU membership since last year but pushes by Georgian Dream to adopt legislation to deny foreign funding of NGOs mirroring Moscow’s “foreign agents” law and anti-LGBT measures have flashed criticism from Brussels and Washington that the Caucasus nation was backsliding on democracy.
