Georgian Parliament Speaker meets PACE Monitoring Committee rapporteurs
Papuashvili claimed that the local elections were conducted under the same conditions as the parliamentary vote, and the participation of two opposition parties that had previously boycotted the process further demonstrated that previous claims of election rigging were unfounded
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Front News Georgia
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili met with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Monitoring Committee rapporteurs, Edite Estrela and Sabina Ćudić, during their official visit to Tbilisi, the Parliament’s press office reported on Tuesday.
Papuashvili welcomed the opportunity for dialogue and noted that with the completion of the recent local elections in October, Georgia has concluded another electoral cycle. He said that over the next three years, Parliament will focus on key legislative and institutional reforms.
Discussing relations with PACE, the Speaker reiterated that there was still no evidence or credible indication of alleged fraud in the 2024 parliamentary elections. He said this made it unclear why PACE had earlier called for snap elections in Georgia, a move that led to the suspension of Georgia’s parliamentary delegation’s participation in the Assembly.
Papuashvili added that the local elections were conducted under the same conditions as the parliamentary vote, and the participation of two opposition parties that had previously boycotted the process further demonstrated that previous claims of election rigging were unfounded.
The sides also discussed recent legislative developments. Papuashvili briefed the rapporteurs on changes adopted by the Georgian Parliament, noting that the Constitutional Court of Georgia and the European Court of Human Rights were reviewing several contested laws. He stressed that, instead of political commentary, all parties should await judicial decisions.
Talks also covered Georgia’s EU integration process. Papuashvili reaffirmed that Georgia remained committed to implementing obligations under the EU Association Agreement.
The meeting additionally touched on the ruling party’s recent move to file a constitutional claim against three opposition parties, alleging their activities contradicted the Georgian Constitution.
Papuashvili emphasized that Georgia remained a dedicated member of the Council of Europe and its Parliamentary Assembly and underlined the importance of mutual respect for sovereignty, democracy, the rule of law, and human rights.
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Shalva Papuashvili
