Further to the meticulously catalogued irregularities, frauds, and failures* resulting from the first round of parliamentary elections held in Georgia on 31 October 2020, we note with alarm that the Opposition felt that it had no option but to boycott the second round of voting this past weekend.

A functioning democracy, respected by its citizens, requires more than a commitment to a process of elections every four years. It is the rule of law, transparency, and respect for human rights that galvanises public confidence in the state institutions, which themselves form a bedrock trust. The Council of Europe and the OSCE must be ready to assist in this process.

Amidst thousands of protesters taking to the streets in recent weeks and calls for the head of the Central Election Commission (CEC) to resign, we call on the CEC, the courts, and the leadership of the Georgian Dream coalition to work urgently and constructively with the opposition in the interest of finding a workable compromise to rebuild public confidence in the democratic process. We further urge the police and state security forces to employ restraint when confronting peaceful protesters.

The bureau of Liberal International applauds the diligence of the opposition, and in particular the Republican Party, who are working to ensure that the numerous irregularities, frauds, and failures are carefully compiled; insodoing, the Republicans must be recognised as honest advocates for the rule of law in Georgia.

* During the first round of parliamentary elections, it was reported that over 500 complaints were lodged by election observers, election watchdogs published images appearing to indicate manipulation of the voting process, and the announcement of the results was delayed by 7.5-hours.