Ukraine's FM reacts to Georgian elections, urges Georgia 'not to follow the Belarusian path'

Ukraine has endorsed the findings of international monitoring missions that identified irregularities in Georgia's parliamentary elections, urging the Georgian government "not to follow the Belarusian path," according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"We call on the Georgian government not to follow the Belarusian path to the loss of sovereignty and independence," the ministry wrote.

The Foreign Ministry noted that Ukraine was closely monitoring Georgia's parliamentary elections and agreed with the findings of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR).

The ministry compared methods used to influence the election outcomes in Georgia with those of Russia, emphasizing that they were not surprised by the support from the aggressor state. Officials underscored that such methods are incompatible with the EU and NATO integration path that Georgia claims to pursue.

"Bribery, intimidation, coercion and pressure on voters, lack of transparency of voting, restriction of access of opposition parties to the mass media – this is only an incomplete list of violations that will be remembered for these elections," the statement reads.

The ministry emphasized that these violations must be investigated to ensure the elections’ legitimacy and prevent a political crisis. Ukraine will "support the Georgian people in their desire to continue the strategic course of joining the EU and NATO."