“The voting process rule for non-resident citizens changes because no one in a foreign jurisdiction attempted to use immigrants as a tool against Georgia by pressuring them,” said Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili.

According to the Speaker, pressure on immigrants may increase in the future. He also explained the necessity to propose amendments to the Election Code by simplifying the “complex text,” while ” not much criticism was heard” from the opposition, which was only ” pedalling on opening and non-opening of polling stations abroad.”

“We declare that we cannot take responsibility for the free expression of will by our citizens outside the jurisdiction of the state. This is our obligation under the Constitution. We great interest in interfering in Georgia’s elections. We witnessed ambassadors and leaders of different countries grossly interfering in the 2024 parliamentary elections.

Pressure on immigrants may increase in the future, than we observed last year when a chair of the Bundestag Committee tried to influence the will of voters on the territory of Germany. To free immigrants from that pressure, we proposed the amendment because no one in a foreign jurisdiction attempted to use immigrants as a tool against Georgia by pressuring them,” he said.

On November 17, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili announced an upcoming change to the voting process for non-resident citizens. The new rule will require voters to return to Georgia every four years to cast their ballot. An amendment to Georgia’s Election Code reflecting this change has already been introduced to Parliament.