MEP András László: Western partners of Georgian Gov’t, opposition must “clearly” state that “their interest is stability in Georgia”

European Parliament member András László on Friday said the Western partners of the Georgian Government and the Georgian opposition must “clearly” state that “their interest is stability in Georgia”.

In his interview with Imedi TV, László commented on the significant gap between the ruling and opposition parties in Georgia's parliamentary election held last October and emphasised that substantial evidence would be required to prove the results were significantly different from what had been announced, adding that without such evidence, the election results should be respected.

László further stressed that it was for the Georgian people to decide who should govern their country, not external actors.

“The Western partners of both the Georgian Government and the opposition must clearly state that their interest is stability in Georgia. It is not our job to decide who should govern the country. That decision must be made by the Georgian people”, the MEP said.

He pointed out that the election campaign in Georgia had begun with tensions and polarisation, and “unfortunately, that atmosphere continued after the election”.

“Many countries have experienced elections in a polarised environment. The worst possible outcome for Georgia would be prolonged instability, potential chaos, or actual chaos. That is why it is in our interest to respect Georgia’s Government, engage in dialogue, and take steps toward closer integration with the European Union”, he continued.

László also shared his experiences from Hungary, noting that the opposition there had attempted similar actions.

“It’s easy to say that new elections are needed, but they just had elections not long ago. I was there as an observer during the parliamentary elections. I encountered some criticism and scandals around election day, and I said from the start what I’m saying now: there is such a large gap between the ruling party and the opposition that strong evidence is necessary to prove the results are vastly different. Without evidence, the results and the Government should be respected”, László continued.

The MEP also discussed the upcoming vote on a new resolution concerning the deteriorating situation in Georgia, stressing that European politicians and parliamentarians should work towards the country's stability.

“European politicians and MEPs should work toward stability in Georgia. Unfortunately, many are acting in the opposite direction. We need to focus on stabilising relations with Georgia”, László concluded.