2024-10-29 14:52 update: 2024-10-29, 14:55
Photo PAP/Leszek Szymański
President Andrzej Duda has said that an international investigation is necessary to examine the recent elections in Georgia, as there is "much doubt" regarding the legitimacy of the election results.
The Central Election Commission of Georgia announced on Sunday that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party, which has held power since 2012 and is perceived as pro-Russia, had secured victory in the parliamentary elections. The official results have been challenged by the opposition and Salome Zourabichvili, the pro-Western president of Georgia. Additionally, international observers have reported that the elections were marked by numerous irregularities.
When questioned by the private broadcaster Radio Zet on Tuesday regarding the possibility of visiting Georgia in light of the recent developments, Duda responded, "Certainly, we will take it into consideration if the circumstances necessitate," further stating that he regarded it as his "duty in a certain sense."
Duda spoke about the necessity for an international investigation into the Georgian elections, advocating for a thorough review of the results by international observers. He added that there was "much doubt" regarding the legitimacy of the election results, although the extent of the manipulation remains unclear.
The president also mentioned that Zourabichvili had visited Warsaw more than a month ago. He added that during her visit, she discussed the pre-election landscape, suggesting that the Georgian Dream would likely secure victory in the elections, yet she said that there was no evidence to suggest they would achieve a significant advantage that would enable them to retain power and govern autonomously. In contrast, the projected outcome "strongly contradicts this."
Duda further added that during their telephone conversation on Monday, Zourabichvili expressed the belief that the elections were "manipulated," and that the outcomes were skewed in various aspects, possibly as a result of interference from Russia.
On Monday, Zourabichvili called on the West to support nationwide protests staged by the Georgian opposition against the official results of Saturday's parliamentary elections. During a press conference on Sunday, she said that Georgian voters had fallen victim to hybrid warfare by Russia. (PAP)
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