The CEC calls on international organizations and the diplomatic corps not to ignore the fact that happened at the November 16 session, - the deputy chairman of the Central Election Commission, Giorgi Sharabidze, said at today's briefing.

As he noted, the fact that happened at the meeting on November 16, the ongoing bullying campaign on social media, the attempt to invade personal space and the actions at the residence have long gone beyond the civil forms of protest and the boundaries of ethics.

"We want to respond to the campaign of discrediting and bullying the chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC), which has become especially intense in the last few days. The fact that happened at the meeting on November 16, the ongoing bullying campaign on social media, the attempt to invade personal space and the actions at the residence have long gone beyond the civil forms of protest and the boundaries of ethics. It is clear to the election administration that, like the practice of the past years, these personal attacks this time are only proof that the authors of the campaign of discredit and bullying do not have arguments to prove the allegations made in relation to the elections.

The public is well aware that the election administration itself was the initiator to establish the truth regarding all the allegations, and that is why we turned to the prosecutor's office to start an investigation. However, it seems that the interested parties, who cannot prove their own accusations of election fraud with facts, are trying to create the perceptions they want in the public with personal attacks and discredit campaigns and offensive actions, especially in the background when, despite some concerns, international monitoring organizations in their preliminary reports or in evaluations, the activities of the election administration was evaluated as good.

Based on the above, we hope that the international partners will not ignore the incident, reflect their positions in this regard in the final reports and will not allow the attempt to create such a standard of interference in the activities of independent election administrators as we are seeing in Georgia now. Otherwise, it may be perceived as an acceptable action by various involved parties, which in turn will have a negative, harmful and long-lasting impact on the independence and functioning of election commissions not only in Georgia, but also on the work process of election commissions around the world. Based on the above, we call on international organizations and the diplomatic corps to evaluate the incident and openly state how much it fits into the international and European standards of protest. Here we would like to thank our foreign colleagues, representatives of election administrations of other countries, for their support and solidarity. Their support is important to protect the independence of election administrators and ensure a safe and healthy election environment in Georgia and beyond. "The election administration remains steadfast in its mission to protect democratic principles, transparency and accountability, despite the challenges of disinformation and pressure," said Giorgi Sharabidze.

For information, on November 16, at the session of the Central Election Commission, the representative of "Unity - National Movement", Davit Kirtadze, painted black paint on the chairman of the Central Election Commission, Giorgi Kalandarishvili.

Based on the appeal of the Central Election Commission, the Ministry of Internal Affairs started an investigation under Article 118 of the Criminal Code, which refers to intentional less severe damage to health.

At the same session, the CEC approved the summary minutes of the elections.