European Council president calls for judiciary reforms following Georgian municipal race

European Council President Charles Michel has praised Georgians for their participation in the October 2 municipal elections and called on the country to return to genuine reforms proposed by the EU-Georgia April 2021 agreement which was pushed forward by Michel himself. 

 

The agreement resolved a six month political standoff in Georgia which began after the 2020 parliamentary elections as opposition was accusing the Georgian Dream government of fabricating the elections and was demanding a repeat parliamentary poll. 

 

The agreement said that if the GD received less than 43 percent of the vote in the October 2 municipal elections, the party would have to accept the holding of an early parliamentary election. 

 

However, the GD backed out of the agreement back in July 2021 and accused the United National Movement of not-signing the document which made the agreement fulfilment  impossible

 

The ruling party also said that no early elections would be scheduled even in the case the GD received 0.1 percent of the vote in municipal elections. 

 

The party received almost 47 percent of the vote in the Saturday’s elections and said that the opposition’s calls for early elections ‘are in vain.’ 

 

However, the GD claims that they will fulfil the electoral and judiciary reforms proposed by Michel’s document.