“It was explained very clearly why we proposed an amendment to the voting process for non-resident citizens, what lies behind it, and what it aims to achieve,” stated Maka Botchorishvili, Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

According to the Foreign Minister, Georgian citizens are not prevented from participating in elections.

“Everyone has the right to vote. The numbers will serve as strong evidence of the influence, for example, that elections held abroad can have on domestic elections, but in reality, they have little to no impact. The real concern is how elections are exploited for influence. This is a necessary step that the country must take to uphold democratic principles, safeguard the voting rights of our citizens, and ensure the stability and integrity of elections and electoral democracy in Georgia,” she explained.

On 17 November, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili announced a change to the voting process for non-resident citizens. The new regulation will require voters to cast their ballots in their homeland once every four years. An amendment to Georgia’s Election Code reflecting this change has been introduced to Parliament.