“As with all elections, international observation missions will be invited for the upcoming parliamentary elections. But at this moment, such a need does not exist—especially when the conclusions of these organizations have been trampled underfoot,” Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze responded to a statement by the British Embassy in Georgia.

He noted that a targeted campaign to discredit the OSCE/ODIHR’s assessment of the last parliamentary elections had been ongoing for months, involving not only Georgian media but also certain EU countries and high-ranking officials.

“We all remember how the OSCE/ODIHR report was dismissed and undermined. There was a deliberate smear campaign filled with slander and insults. Even now, this continues,” Kaladze stated.

He found the British Embassy’s remarks puzzling in this context.

“It’s absolutely incomprehensible, especially since it’s not common practice globally to invite OSCE/ODIHR to observe local elections—except for rare cases, like in 2021. Today, there is no need for it,” he said.

Kaladze emphasized that the government had expressed readiness to implement OSCE/ODIHR recommendations.

“There were remarks in the report, and we’re ready to improve. But instead, for months, it was subjected to discrediting efforts involving some foreign actors. That’s the reality,” the Tbilisi Mayor added.

He concluded by stressing that it is the Georgian people—not external actors—who determine the country’s leadership.

“Only the Georgian people grant legitimacy. They decide who governs and who is entrusted with the country’s future. The same will apply in the local elections. No outside messages or directives will change that,” Kaladze said.

He reiterated that international observers would be welcomed during the next parliamentary elections.