Tbilisi (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Hungarian PM Viktor Orban visits Tbilisi to congratulate Georgian Dream after the disputed election.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban who holds the European Council’s rotating presidency said that the election in Georgia succeeded by the ruling party was free and democratic, as he congratulated his Georgian counterpart Irakli Kobakhidze during a visit to Georgia.
What was Viktor Orban’s message to Georgia’s leaders?
Orban arrived in Tbilisi on 29 Oct 2024 and said: “We know what war means, we know how important peace is. Hungary is a peace-loving country in Europe, and we greatly value your efforts, as you are on the side of peace too.” he continued by saying “Nobody wants their own country to be destroyed and involved in war. Therefore, we understand the Georgian people’s decision to choose in favour of freedom.”
Further, he added:
“I also want to congratulate the Georgian government on that while enforcing pro-European politics, you didn’t allow becoming a second Ukraine. We greatly value the PM’s devotion to this idea, and I’m confident Georgia will be well-suited to join the EU by the end of this decade.”
What are the alleged election issues in Georgia?
The ruling Georgian Dream party and the electoral commission stated the vote was free and fair, while Western powers have called for examinations. A series of breaches were by monitoring missions including the 57-nation Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
The groups expressed that the alleged violations, including ballot contents, bribery, voter intimidation, and violence near polling stations, could have influenced the result but stopped short of calling the outcome fraudulent. The U.S. and some EU member countries have also called for a comprehensive investigation into alleged infringements at the polls.
What did Orban say about conservative victories in Europe?
However, Orbán stated he had checked Hungarian observers’ reports, which were “positive in all aspects.” “[The report] conveyed free and fair elections, and I would like to congratulate the Georgian PM on this,” Orbán expressed. “Elections were free and fair, but dispute will continue in Europe. You should take it seriously because it happens. … When conservative parties succeed, such disputes always follow. Such is European politics — if liberals win, they say it’s democratic, but if conservatives win, it’s not,” he said.
