Kobakhidze praises OSCE/ODIHR final report

After the OSCE/ODIHR issued its final report on the parliamentary elections in

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has stated that the OSCE/ODIHR’s final conclusion was that parliamentary elections were ‘free and competitive’, terms not used in the report to describe the vote.

At a press briefing last night, he thanked them for their assessment ‘despite the aggressive attacks’.

‘It is important for us that the OSCE/ODIHR expresses its readiness to cooperate with the elected authorities of Georgia to further improve the electoral environment and procedures’, he said.

Kobakhidze stated that the OSCE/ODIHR had only spoken about ‘isolated violent incidents’ and also briefly added that ‘as in the case of any country’, the conclusion contains ‘critical remarks’, including on the secrecy of the vote.

He also cited a public opinion survey he said had been ‘conducted at our request’ that showed that 53% of the public positively assessed the election.

He gave no further details about the alleged survey.

‘Overall, you see that the OSCE/ODIHR recognises the elections, and Georgian society also recognises the elections’, he said.