Observers from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the head of the observation mission expressed deep concern that Transparency International - Georgia was compelled to cease its election observation activities. This occurred after the anti-corruption bureau classified the organization and its executive director, Eka Gigauri, as subjects with electoral aims.
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“We are deeply concerned by the fact that Transparency International Georgia has been forced to close its election observation operations because of the deplorable decision by the Anti-Corruption Bureau to declare this civil society organisation and its Director as subjects with a declared electoral aim.
This seems to confirm the concerns expressed by the Assembly in a recent resolution that ‘respected civil society organisations, with a long-standing and extensive experience in election observation, might no longer be able to observe the elections’.
This is unacceptable and undermines public trust in the democratic nature of the electoral process”, said Claude Kern and Edith Estrella, co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on Georgian affairs, as well as Iulian Bulai, head of the Assembly's observation delegation.
Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe urge the Georgian authorities to protect the legitimacy of the elections and to take all necessary measures to ensure that Transparency International - Georgia, as well as other respected observation organizations, can observe the elections without interference in their work.
For the first time in its 24 years of existence, Transparency International - Georgia will not have a single observer at the parliamentary elections on October 26. However, representatives of the organization stated that they will continue to fight individually to protect their votes.
Influential members of the Foreign Relations Committee of the United States Senate have responded to the decision of the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Jim Risch, Jeanne Shaheen, Ben Cardin, and Pete Ricketts believe that Eka Gigauri is being punished for her testimony in the Senate.
On September 24, the Anti-Corruption Bureau recognized Transparency International - Georgia and its executive director, Eka Gigauri, as well as the civil movement Vote for Europe, its director Khatuna Lagazidze, and co-founders Sopiko Chkonia, Nikoloz Shurghaia, Giorgi Rukhadze, Shalva Dzebisashvili, Giorgi Papelishvili, Lela Jejelava, Giorgi Taktakishvili, and Ivane Chkonia, as "subjects with a declared electoral aim." This classification means that the regulations established for political parties apply to them.
