“Elections are the festival of democracy. Please go and vote. This is your right. This is your duty, and this is your choice. You have the power to decide the future of your country for yourself and for your children,” said Pawel Herczynski, EU Ambassador to Georgia.

According to the EU Ambassador, the upcoming October 26 parliamentary elections “are essential for Georgia’s future.”

“Elections are the festival of democracy. People will have a right and civic duty to go and vote to express their opinion. On our side, in the case of Georgia and any other country, we insist on every election to be held in a free and fair environment for every political party to be able to present its program and compete with others. Elections should be competitive, should be transparent, should be inclusive. Elections are secret, and it’s for every single Georgian to decide what future he or she wants for their country.

I sincerely hope that people will go out, will vote, that the turnout will be historic high. Because these elections are essential for Georgia’s future. Please go and vote. This is your right. This is your duty, and this is your choice. You have the power to decide the future of your country for yourself and for your children,” he said.

Pawel Herczynski remarked that the EU wants Georgia to become its member. However, this will happen based on the rules and principles.

“Elections will be held in less than 10 days, actually in one week. So, it will be for you, Georgians, to decide the future of your country. You have the power to decide what future you want for yourself and for your children. No one else should decide. Only you. These elections are secret. Each and every one of you will have a chance to decide if you want Georgia to proceed and become a member of the European Union, or not.

The leaders have been loud and clear, on our side, and we are ready to welcome you. We are ready for Georgia to become a member of the European Union, but this needs to happen based on the rules and principles that apply to all of us, the current 27 new member states and all countries that want to join. And these rules are very clear- freedom, democracy, rule of law, human rights. These rules are enshrined in European Union treaties and they are not negotiable,” he stated.