On Thursday, Parliament adopted a resolution rejecting the self-proclaimed authorities of the ruling Georgian Dream party following the rigged parliamentary elections on 26 October 2024. This includes the newly appointed President Mikheil Kavelashvili. MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) continue to recognise Salome Zourabichvili as the legitimate President of Georgia and urge António Costa, President of the European Council, to invite her to represent the country at upcoming meetings of the European Council and the European Political Community.
The resolution calls on the international community to join in boycotting Georgia’s self-proclaimed authorities, whom they accuse of undermining the country’s democracy and repressing dissent. The text was adopted with 400 votes in favour, 63 against, and 81 abstentions.
In the aftermath of the disputed elections, which plunged Georgia into a political and constitutional crisis, the country has experienced ongoing peaceful mass anti-government protests that have been met with violent crackdowns by police and law enforcement.
As a response, MEPs are calling on the Council and EU member states to impose personal sanctions on officials and political leaders in Georgia responsible for democratic backsliding, electoral fraud, human rights violations, and the persecution of political opponents and activists.
This includes prominent figures such as oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Parliamentary Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, as well as judges who issue politically motivated sentences and media representatives who spread disinformation.
The resolution also emphasises that the only solution to the current crisis in Georgia is to hold new parliamentary elections. According to the MEPs, these elections should occur within the next few months in an improved electoral environment and be overseen by an independent and impartial election administration that international observers monitor.
Parliament expresses deep regret over the ruling Georgian Dream party’s departure from its commitment to European integration and NATO membership and reaffirms its strong support for the legitimate European aspirations of the Georgian people. Georgia was granted EU candidate status in December 2023; however, the European Parliament deemed neither free nor fair most recent parliamentary elections, which has called for a re-run of the elections within the following year.
