It is the Central Election Commission itself that is discrediting the electoral administration – our partners see the reality, and the CEC can’t throw dust in their eyes! – This is how Giorgi Sioridze, a representative of "Strong Georgia," responded to the open letter sent by the Central Election Commission (CEC) to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).­

According to Sioridze, the CEC “has the audacity” to address the very Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe that suspended the credentials of “Georgian Dream” and made the continuation of their mandate conditional upon the announcement of new parliamentary elections.

“The CEC is essentially whining that the discrediting of the electoral administration happened without their input.

But it is the CEC itself that discredits the electoral administration – it did so on October 26, when it tried to cement the power of Georgian Dream. It continues to discredit itself by carrying out every unlawful order it receives from Georgian Dream, including the abolition of the observer institute in Georgia, which makes it impossible to identify individuals inside polling stations. The CEC justifies this by citing the protection of personal data. Since when are personal identification and data processing the same thing?! ‘Strong Georgia’ has taken this matter to court, and in its letter, the CEC itself admits that yes, the arguments presented by ‘Strong Georgia’ were accepted.

Our partners see what the reality is, and the CEC cannot throw dust in their eyes!” – said Giorgi Sioridze.

For context, the Central Election Commission of Georgia addressed an open letter to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. As the CEC explains, the decision to write the letter came five months after the October 26, 2024 parliamentary elections, during which ongoing efforts to discredit the elections and the Georgian electoral administration have continued. The final straw, according to the CEC, was the mention of its new regulation in a recent resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly.

The CEC once again explains the reasons for adopting the regulation and asks the Assembly to “verify the information provided by interested parties with the appropriate agency – the Georgian electoral administration – and receive accurate information directly from the source.”

Additionally, the Commission urges the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe not to view the process superficially, emphasizing that any public opinion or assessment they issue has a tangible impact on the polarized environment in Georgia.