EU Challenges Legitimacy of October 26 Elections Under Georgian Dream

By Malkhaz Matsaberidze

Wednesday, November 27, 2024

The European Union has emphasized the democratic conduct of the October 26 parliamentary elections as one of the key prerequisites for initiating membership negotiations with Georgia. While the Georgian Dream party asserts that the elections were held to the highest democratic standards and that it has secured a fourth term in power, skepticism abounds. Not only does the opposition claim widespread electoral fraud, but Western nations have also been reluctant to congratulate the ruling party on its victory. To date, no international partners have acknowledged the election results. Instead, they support the opposition's call for an international investigation.

Western partners face difficulties recognizing the elections as legitimate due to widespread reports of electoral fraud on election day. Until an international investigation is conducted and potential evidence of Russian interference is evaluated, the legitimacy of the Georgian Dream government will remain in question. The EU is awaiting the final assessment from the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and is planning to send a special investigative mission.

At a press conference following the November 18 EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, announced that a mission would be sent to Georgia to assess allegations of election fraud. Borrell emphasized the need for transparency and reiterated the EU's commitment to investigating violations thoroughly. On October 29, Borrell had already called for a "transparent investigation" into the elections, and on November 18, it was confirmed that a technical mission would be dispatched to examine the irregularities. Borrell further noted that the elections signaled Georgia's democratic regression and accused Georgian Dream leaders of steering the country away from EU integration, contrary to the aspirations of the Georgian people.

The Georgian Dream party's response has been inconsistent. General Secretary Kakha Kaladze expressed a willingness to cooperate with international partners, while Mamuka Mdinaradze called the demand for an international investigation a violation of Georgia's sovereignty. Mdinaradze stated during a November 19 briefing that election irregularities should be investigated solely by Georgian authorities, such as the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor's Office - institutions that lack credibility both domestically and internationally.

Should Georgian Dream reject an international investigation, the consequences could be severe. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis warned that refusal to cooperate with the EU would indicate that Georgia is not committed to transparency and democratic principles. The EU has already taken several measures in response to the policies of the Georgian Dream government.

The European Union has already taken several steps in response to the policies pursued by the Georgian Dream government. In the European Commission's enlargement report, published on October 30, the Commission noted that Georgia's EU membership process has effectively stalled. The European Commission does not recommend opening accession negotiations with Georgia. The EU has also ceased high-level meetings with representatives of the Georgian government.

Additionally, several steps have been taken towards imposing financial sanctions on Georgia:

- The EU has suspended Euro121 million in aid due to democratic backsliding. Specifically, annual allocations are not fully utilized within the same year, resulting in the loss of unspent funds from 2022 and 2023 that were directly intended for the government;

- The EU has frozen Euro30 million in aid intended for the Georgian Defense Forces from the European Peace Facility (EPF). The EPF was established in March 2021 to fund EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) actions in the military and defense sectors, aimed at preventing conflicts, maintaining peace, and strengthening international security and stability. For example, in 2021, Euro12,750,000 was allocated from this fund to support Georgia's Defense Forces, and Euro20 million in 2022;

- Among international organizations, the EU is Georgia's largest donor; however, grant aid is set to decrease by 93% under the 2025 project. The EU grant amount will drop to Euro7 million under the 2025 project, compared to the Euro105 million planned for 2024;

- Josep Borrell, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, stated that he would propose reallocating Euro100 million in aid originally intended for the Georgian government to civil society. Borrell made this statement ahead of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting.

The European Union's stance was reiterated by the Dutch Ambassador to Georgia, Meline Arakelian, in an exclusive interview with "Interpressnews". She emphasized that if Georgia genuinely intends to return to the EU integration path, it must first repeal certain laws as urged by the EU. This includes the "foreign influence transparency" law and legislation related to family values, which contradict European human rights standards. Additionally, Georgia needs to fulfill the nine steps outlined as prerequisites for advancing in the EU accession process. However, it remains doubtful whether the Georgian Dream party will commit to this course.