European Parliament calls on political parties of Georgia to put country’s interests above party interests ahead of second round of elections.

“The electoral legal framework needs to be further improved in view of future elections, taking into account pending recommendations by the OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission, notably when it comes to campaign financing, disputes resolution and the misuse of public resources. It is also necessary to address the underrepresentation of Georgian women in politics.

Ahead of the second round of the elections, we call on the Georgian authorities and political parties to put an end to the malpractices observed during the first round. Last but not least, we count on the political class to show responsibility and maturity: they must put their nation’s interest above party interests, turn the page of confrontation once and for all and implement much-needed reforms.

The European Parliament remains ready to pursue its close cooperation with the Parliament of Georgia by providing assistance, including via its full spectrum of democracy-support activities, on the condition that our Georgian counterparts show a willingness to engage constructively in such activities”, - reads the statement.