The Delegation of the European Union to Georgia and the Embassy of the United States of America in Georgia called for calm and dialogue in a joint statement issued on 17 November, as thousands of Georgians have been demonstrating for several days against the rejection of an electoral reform promised by the government which would move the country to proportional representation in the 2020 parliamentary elections.
It is “essential to immediately work to restore trust through a calm and respectful dialogue between the government and all political parties and civil society with a view to finding an acceptable path forward”, stress Europe and America.
The EU and the United States note that the decision to accelerate the transition to proportional representation elections was the subject of political consensus and a joint commitment from all sides to work towards this end. In their view, the unexpected halting of this process has increased mistrust and heightened tensions between the ruling party and other political parties and civil society.
Acknowledging “the deep disappointment of a wide segment of Georgian society at the failure of Parliament to pass the constitutional amendments required”, the EU and the USA underline their full support for “the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression”. “We call on all parties exercising this right to do so in a lawful manner and within the framework of the Constitution”, they add. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)