Oral QuestionForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Whether he has made representations to his counterpart in Georgia on reported irregularities in parliamentary elections held in that country on 26 October 2024.

Tabled: 20 November 2024Answered: 26 November 2024

Asked by

Blair McDougall

LabourEast Renfrewshire

Answering Minister

the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

Answer from Hansard

The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Stephen Doughty)

Ahead of the elections on 11 October, I expressed my concerns directly to Foreign Minister Darchiashvili about pressure on civil society and stigmatisation of minorities ahead of the parliamentary elections. Following the elections, I publicly expressed support for the preliminary findings of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe in relation to the election. I called on the Georgian authorities to investigate all irregularities and reverse their declining commitment to an inclusive and open democracy.