U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on the October 26, 2024 parliamentary elections in the Republic of Georgia:
“Reports from international and domestic observers are as troubling as they are disappointing, making it clear that Georgia’s Election Day was marred by violence, intimidation, exclusion of accredited observers from polling stations, and inconsistent application of procedures. This follows a pre-election period tainted by the enactment of the so-called ‘Law on Transparency and Foreign Influence,’ which erodes freedoms of association and expression. Coupled with threats of retribution against political opponents by key figures in the ruling party, these actions have cast a long shadow over Georgia’s democratic process.
“Georgia’s European and American friends have repeatedly warned that democratic backsliding threatens the country’s aspirations for deeper integration into Western institutions like the European Union and NATO – aspirations we all share. I will continue to closely monitor the post-election environment and work with the Biden-Harris administration to determine the appropriate response in the U.S.-Georgian relationship", - the statement reads.
