Georgian parliamentary elections scheduled for October should be held to the “highest standards,” Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili told politicians on Thursday, following meetings with European officials in Brussels.
“We have guaranteed that Georgia will hold the 2016 parliamentary elections at the highest standards. This is vitally important for us that all the components of democratic elections be observed by us,” he told a government meeting.
“Our European partners are expecting from us to meet high standards – bar is set high.”
Kvirikashvili met Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, and Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission.
He also met with European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy Johannes Hahn, with whom he discussed plans for short-term visa-free travel for Georgians in the EU.
Asked if the new system will be in place this summer, commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said “maybe earlier, maybe around summer.”
Georgia’s parliament is currently discussing a range of constitutional amendments. Because the governing Georgian Dream coalition does not have a majority, passing changes will require opposition support.
Sources: commonspace.eu and civil.ge
