Prepared by Messenger Staff
OSCE Envoy Expresses Concern Over Post-Election Tensions in Georgia
The Special Representative of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly for the South Caucasus, Luís Graça of Portugal, has voiced concern over recent unrest in Georgia following the October 4 local elections and the alleged attempts to overthrow the government. The remarks were released in a statement by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's press service.
"I am deeply concerned about the growing tension and violence that followed the local elections held in Georgia," Graça said.
He called on the Georgian authorities to uphold democratic principles and protect civil liberties. "I urge the government to fully respect the rights to peaceful assembly and expression, and to ensure that civil society can operate freely and without fear," the statement reads.
Graça emphasized that democratic governance must rest on the rule of law, accountability, and peaceful political dialogue. "At this critical time, I call on all stakeholders to refrain from any form of violence and urge all political forces to commit to working within the framework of legitimate political processes," he added.
The Special Representative also reaffirmed the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's commitment to assisting Georgia in navigating the current crisis. "The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly will continue to support political actors and civil society in reducing tensions, strengthening democratic institutions, restoring public trust through dialogue, and fulfilling OSCE commitments," Graça said.
Kobakhidze Responds to Bacho Akhalaia's Remarks on October 4 Events
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze criticized former Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaia after Akhalaia described the October 4 rally as a peaceful civil uprising, comparing it to the April 9 tragedy. Kobakhidze said such comments were not surprising coming from Akhalaia.
"Such a statement from a person with the moral character of Bacho Akhalaia is not surprising," the Prime Minister said. "As for their claims that there was no violence - I mean the Akhalaia family - it seems this violence is nothing to them compared to what they did in Gldani prison, where they directly tortured prisoners. For them, this is insignificant next to the violence they committed there."
Kobakhidze added that the investigation into the October 4 events would continue, including possible links to foreign actors. "We are not surprised by statements from people with such morals. The rest will be determined by the investigation, including details related to foreign connections. I don't want to get ahead of events, but it's important that every detail be examined," he said.
The Prime Minister also said the number of arrests related to the rally may rise. "It's likely to increase. We warned everyone about our identification capabilities and that we now have even greater resources to identify those involved," Kobakhidze noted.
"Everyone who is identified will be held accountable. The state cannot simply overlook violence of this scale against its institutions. A response is essential to protect the country from similar attempts in the future, and we will see this process through to the end," he added.
