We call on all involved parties to refrain from making unfounded, evidence-free accusations. Falsehoods must not be used as a tool of political warfare. Such a statement was released by the Central Election Commission of Georgia.

"As the municipal elections approach, instances of attempts by interested parties to discredit the Election Administration and the electoral process in general are becoming increasingly intense.

Eight months have passed since the 2024 parliamentary elections, and to date, no one has presented any concrete evidence to substantiate the allegations made by certain political entities regarding the alleged falsification of the elections. Not even a minimally credible fact has been put forward. However, now that the issue of party participation in the local self-government elections has come to the forefront of the agenda, certain political entities have intensified a campaign suggesting that the elections will be conducted with violations and, therefore, participation in them is pointless.

It must be emphatically stated that the issue of who will or will not participate in the elections does not fall within the competence or scope of interest of the Election Administration. Since the beginning of the year, the institution has been operating in a practically continuous mode to ensure that the upcoming municipal elections - like previous elections - are conducted at a high professional level and in full compliance with established standards. This is our direct responsibility and obligation, and we will not allow anyone to undermine this process through political speculation.

We understand that political parties have their own agendas, possess the right to pursue political objectives, and to engage in public discourse. However, making declarative statements - such as claiming that the elections were allegedly rigged or asserting that "they will write whatever they want" - goes beyond all acceptable limits.

Certain politicians persistently attempt to make the public forget the fact that the 2024 parliamentary elections were administered, among others, by commission members appointed by their own parties, and that, out of thousands of members, only nine attached dissenting opinions to the summary protocol regarding the results. This constitutes indisputable evidence that the commission members and representatives appointed by these very parties had no doubts or objections concerning the election outcomes.

All of the above clearly indicates that we are not dealing with a position grounded in legal arguments, but rather with entirely unsubstantiated, politically motivated accusations. These accusations aim to overshadow the transparent and constructive agenda of the Election Administration, deliberately undermine and discredit the electoral process, and foster distrust and doubt regarding the election results both domestically and internationally.

The Election Administration is working intensively to safeguard all areas that various actors deliberately exploit for speculation and to ensure the accurate, fact-based, and timely dissemination of information to the public. This is done with the aim of leaving no question unanswered, as disinformation and manipulation harm not only the Election Administration but also the electoral process as a whole.

Most recently, the Election Administration hosted an international conference, which once again underscored that disinformation, the systematic dissemination of falsehoods, and defamatory campaigns remain among the principal threats to democratic processes, including elections. This is not solely a challenge faced by the Election Administration of Georgia - it is a global issue that requires firm, principled, and prompt responses. That is precisely why election administrations, including ours, must demonstrate particular diligence and exert maximum effort to provide the public with the truth, protect the integrity and reputation of the electoral environment, and prevent its contamination by politically motivated disinformation.

Therefore, once again and in clear terms, we call on all involved parties to refrain from making unfounded, evidence-free accusations. Falsehoods must not be used as a tool of political warfare.

As for us, we will continue our work with professionalism, caution, and unwavering commitment to the values that underpin equal, free, and fair elections", - reads the statement.