Salome Samadashvili, a member of the opposition Lelo party, has said she hopes the European Parliament’s resolution “will put an end to absurd arguments” that local elections could provide legitimacy to Georgia’s ruling party.

“I hope the European Parliament resolution, which clearly states that Ivanishvili’s government is illegitimate until new parliamentary elections are held, while also calling on the opposition to defend the democratic choice made by the Georgian people in local elections, has ended the absurd argument that local elections give legitimacy to anyone,” Samadashvili wrote on Facebook. “What is dead may never die again.”

The statement comes after the European Parliament published a press release regarding its annual report on Georgia, saying “the upcoming municipal elections in 2025 are another test of the resilience of Georgia’s democracy and political pluralism. As a result, MEPs call on the country’s opposition to seize this opportunity to reflect the unity of the Georgian people in support of democracy and the rule of law, as already demonstrated by the peaceful protests that followed October’s elections.”