Papuashvili: ‘time to stop attacks on Georgian democracy’

The Speaker of the Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, stated at a press briefing today that the OSCE/ODIHR report was a ‘watershed moment, where all damaging speculation about the integrity of the elections should end’.

Despite the report heavily criticising the conduct of the elections, ruling party officials have insisted the report was positive.

Papuashvili said the opposition had received the number of seats in parliament that ‘the Georgian people deemed necessary’.

‘It is also time to stop the attacks from abroad on Georgian democracy and recognise the will of the Georgian people, which was expressed in the only legitimate way, through the elections’, he said.

‘That is why, as in the previous seven cases, the radical opposition will ultimately have to recognise the will of the Georgian people and return to democratic frameworks. The only regret is that in the meantime, precious time is passing and the energy and emotions of our people, which should be used for the progress of our country, are being wasted’, he said.