Georgia election: Russia denies meddling, EU urges probe

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any Russian interference in the Georgian parliamentary election this weekend, which saw the ruling pro-Russian Georgian Dream party win nearly 54% of the vote.

Pro-EU Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has accused Moscow of meddling in the election, saying it was part of a "Russian special operation."

What Moscow said about the allegations

"We strongly reject these accusations. There was no intervention. These accusations are completely unsubstantiated," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, when he was asked about Zourabichvili's claims.

"There are attempts to destabilize the situation in the republic," he said, referring to the Georgian president's comments. Peskov instead accused European states of trying to meddle in the vote.

"There are attempts to interfere — but not from Russia's side," he said.

EU and US urge probe

Meanwhile, the United States and the European Union called for a thorough investigation into reports of violations in the voting.

The voting results, with almost all precincts counted, were a setback for pro-Western Georgians who had touted Saturday's election as a choice between the ruling party's deepening ties with Russia and the opposition's aim of fast-track integration with Europe.

Monitors from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on Sunday relayed reports of vote-buying, voter intimidation, and ballot-stuffing that might have influenced the outcome.

German Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer told DW: "There were significant irregularities with regard to voter manipulation and intimidation and problems with maintaining the secrecy of the ballot."

"We condemn these violations of international norms and join calls by international local observers for a full investigation into the reported irregularities."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a statement released on Sunday, noted that, while the election was "generally well administered," there were reports of irregularities and sporadic violence.

"International observers have not declared the result to be free and fair," he said, calling for an investigation.

European Council President Charles Michel authorities in the EU candidate country "to fulfill their duty to swiftly, transparently and independently investigate and adjudicate electoral irregularities and allegations thereof."

"These alleged irregularities must be seriously clarified and addressed," Michel wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday.

"We reiterate the EU's call to the Georgian leadership to demonstrate its firm commitment to the country's EU path," he wrote.

Hungary's Victor Orban was the first foreign leader to congratulate Georgian Dream and was visiting the Georgian prime minister in Tbilisi on Monday and Tuesday.

But while Hungary currently holds the EU's rotating president, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told Spanish public radio RNE that this did not give Orban — the Kremlin's closest EU ally — any status on behalf of the bloc.

"Whatever Mr Orban says in his visit to Georgia, he does not represent the European Union," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told Spanish public radio RNE.

A week after elections in her country, in which Russia was also accused of interfering, Moldovan President Maia Sandu said on Monday she had discussed the election with President Salome Zourabichvili.

"Moldova stands with all Georgians fighting for freedom, democracy and a European future," Sandu said on X following the talks.

rc/wd (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)