First Vice Speaker Volski: Georgian citizens must not be subject to foreign political influence

“Electoral results from abroad do not show that the opposition enjoys a significant advantage. There are not sufficient numbers of people abroad who could alter the election results. There is constant speculation on this topic, whether everyone is allowed to participate in elections and whether there are adequate electoral districts and precincts for this purpose,” stated Gia Volski, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament.

According to Volski, any citizen is under the serious influence of local governance, and if they come to their own country once every four years to fulfil their constitutional obligation, this is precisely what will produce genuine results following elections.

“Recent times have shown us that not only in Georgia, but resources for influencing political will have increased considerably. This does not only concern people living in European countries or the United States. Whether living in the south, north, west or east, any citizen is under considerable influence of local governance. If this government wishes, the vulnerability of these citizens could become much greater. If, once every four years, they return to their homeland to fulfil their constitutional duties, that is what will truly lead to meaningful results following elections.

In three years, Georgia will have achieved a sufficiently stable economic situation, enabling its people to avoid seeking meagre incomes abroad under illegal living conditions. Georgian citizens must not be subjected to external political influences driven by specific agendas formulated abroad.

Precisely through the use of technological resources, which we believe will become even more intensive in three years, it is easier to influence the will of those people who find themselves in specific circumstances abroad than it is to influence those who live here and see both the bad and the good, who do not call black white or white black,” declared Gia Volski.

The voting procedure for non-resident citizens in elections is being changed. According to the Speaker of Georgia’s Parliament, the sole condition will be casting one’s vote in the homeland once every four years.