The Central Election Commission of Georgia [CEC] voiced strong concern regarding recent statements made in the name of the European Parliament [EP] that refer to the October 26 parliamentary elections as “rigged”.

“The CEC has issued multiple public statements regarding the October 26 elections, providing detailed clarifications, including attempts to discredit the 2024 elections based on unsubstantiated allegations. We held meetings with all stakeholders, including representatives of the international community, and addressed the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly through an open letter to counter misinformation.

Despite these efforts, unjust and evidence-free allegations persist - most recently, in a statement issued in the name of the EP.

The election administration finds it incomprehensible that such an unprecedentedly biased statement would be made by an organisation that, by its nature, should rely on facts and solid arguments when expressing its positions. Statements based solely on perceptions, without facts and arguments, leave only the impression of being politically motivated, which is, to some extent, insulting and degrading to the dignity of the thousands of election administration employees who organised the October 26 elections.

We would like to remind the public and members of the European Parliament (MEPs) that out of the 53,210 members serving on the 3,111 precinct election commissions for the 2024 parliamentary elections, 25,261 were appointed by nine authorised political parties. To be even more specific, of the 17 members of each commission, 8 were appointed through the quota of so-called opposition parties, and on Election Day, only nine of them recorded dissenting opinions in the summary protocols. Against this backdrop, it is completely unacceptable to call into question the honesty and integrity of commission members. These numbers and factual circumstances reflect the transparency and multi-party nature of the electoral process.

It is known that after the announcement of the results of the October 26, 2024, parliamentary elections, due to statements circulated regarding ‘alleged falsification,’ the election administration, on its own initiative, appealed to the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia and requested the initiation of an investigation to objectively assess the circulated accusations. From the prosecutor’s interim statements, it appears that no one has presented any concrete evidence of the voiced accusations. No evidence was presented to either the election administration or the relevant court during the review of electoral disputes. Since the violations alleged in the accusations did not actually occur, it is understandable that no corresponding facts or evidence exist.

Moreover, it is incomprehensible why the European Parliament does not take into account the OSCE/ODIHR conclusion regarding the October 26 elections and the statements made directly by representatives of the observation mission, where they directly stated that the 2024 parliamentary elections were conducted at a high professional level and reflected the will of the voters. As we have reiterated multiple times on this matter, the OSCE/ODIHR conclusion merely expresses certain concerns and offers recommendations regarding various aspects of the electoral process, which is common practice in assessments of elections in different countries and is characteristic of standard electoral observation. Importantly, the conclusion does not constitute grounds to dismiss the legitimacy of the elections, particularly since it does not refer to election falsification.

As we have already stated multiple times on this issue, the OSCE/ODIHR conclusion expresses certain concerns and recommendations regarding various issues related to the electoral process, as is typically found in cases of different countries and is characteristic of electoral practice, and in no case does it constitute grounds for ignoring the legitimacy of elections, especially given that the conclusion does not speak of election fraud.

Based on the above, the election administration regards the European Parliament’s latest statement as a violation of the fundamental legal principle, the presumption of innocence. Given that municipal elections are scheduled to take place in just a few months and that this period essentially constitutes a pre-election phase, such statements could be perceived as attempts to influence the electoral process and undermine public trust in it.

We once again appeal to all relevant individuals in the European Parliament to verify any public opinions or assessments regarding the October 26 elections by consulting the primary source, the election administration, before making such statements public. We urge you not to view the process superficially and to avoid repeating politically motivated narratives without supporting evidence. Otherwise, it may appear that such evaluations are not mere errors or oversights but deliberate attempts to intensify polarization in Georgia.

We remain fully open to cooperation, constructive dialogue, and transparent communication - in line with international standards and our shared values”, - reads the statement.