Monday,  24 January 2000 at 3.00 p.m.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A PROVISIONAL VERSION OF THE REPORT OF  THE DEBATE OF 24 SEPTEMBER 1999 AT 10 A.M WHICH MAY STILL BE CORRECTED BY THE SPEAKERS

In this report:

1. Speeches in English are reported in full.

2. Speeches in other languages are summarised.

3. Speeches in German and Italian are reproduced in full in a separate document.

Corrections should be handed in at Room 1059A not later than 24 hours after the report has been circulated.

 Monday 24 January 2000 at 3 p.m.

 

 

The following text was submitted for inclusion in the official report by a member who was present in the Chamber but was prevented by lack of time from delivering it.

Ms PATARKALISHVILI (Georgia).— Distinguished members of the European Parliament, I have the great honour of representing the political block Revival of Georgia which, at the last parliamentary elections in Georgia, was considered as the only political rival to the Governmental party. This was caused by the fact that the population of the country expressed great confidence in, and support of, this right-centrist political block and its leader Aslan Abashidze. On the other hand, the internal political problems and extremely hard social and economical conditions noticeably decreased the authority of the Citizens' Union in Georgia.

 

I want to mention that, despite the results of the elections held by the leading party, the block Revival of Georgia is still considered as the political power with real support from the majority of the population and it gives us a great responsibility in front of our country, our people and our future.

 

Because of the above-mentioned reasons, the block Revival of Georgia considers it important to present the objective reality about elections.

To avoid the danger of the coming parliamentary elections being totally false, the leaders of our political alliance, together with different Governmental and non-Governmental international organisations, appealed in July 1999 to the European Parliament as a high authority to support the conduct of free elections in Georgia and to prevent the Government side putting up serious barriers against pressure, leading to illegal and false results.

 

We do not want to bore you by enumerating objective reasons, which caused a lot of people's confidence and the hope of victory to disappear in democratically held elections. But the great desire of the ruling Citizens Union to keep their own chairs and to gain economic privileges made them practise all kind of infringements so as to put pressure on electors' expressing their will freely during both the pre-election campaign and at the moment of voting. This fact was evidently proved by changes in the Election Law by the Parliamental majority of Citizens' Union a few weeks before elections, according to which the central regional and district chairmen of electoral commissions and the great number of members would be appointed by ruling party. They were making uncovered aggression towards opposition parties, raiding their offices, pursuing their members and treating their supporters by physical punishment.

 

The principles of the Parliamentary Election Act were violated by the Central Electoral Commission, together with ruling authorities and local ruling organs, in pre-election meeting authorisation.

The law on the financing of election commissions and the principle of pre-election agitation, as well as the composition of election committees and allocation of time and space in the media were also violated.

 

It is also important to stress that the law-enforcement bodies often violated human rights. The main principle of the Georgian Constitution was violated by the President of Georgia actively participating in pre-electoral campaign.

 

Anti-democratically designed local organs appointed illegal governors and commanders, and the full mobilisation of all armed forces, in particular by the Ministry of the Interior Affairs, led to the very high presence of soldiers, and that created quite a heavy pressing atmosphere on the Georgian electors.

 

The materials in our possession clearly reflect the disturbed picture of the pre-election campaign and electoral process of democracy, and the pressure put on the people's will.

The fact that the leading party usually establishes new conflicts and tensions before every election in Georgia (even now) as they did before the 31 October voting, gave alternative results: Citizens' Union was not elected from the Georgian population.

 

The Central Electoral Committee completed by the governing party completely falsified the final results of the Parliamentary elections in Georgia held on 31 October 1999 when the final results were announced only after 10 days the election, the amount of electors was enhanced by 30% in comparison with the indicated number 2 days after election. The representatives of opposition parties in the Central Election Committee did not have access to the documentation of the Committee!

 

For these "merits", the Chairman of the committee was decorated with the highest governmental medal.

It is important to note that all the above-mentioned violations took place in the presence of international observers and that they are highly underlined in the report of different committees and missions but, unfortunately, they have had no adequate reaction, yet, from democratic forces in the world, in particular from European ones. It is really very important because hopelessness among the Georgians may seriously prevent their aspiration towards the Western democracy and well-known values of mankind. It is very important to do it in time because the campaign for the presidential election is on course. Repeating the same infringements during forthcoming election could provoke very dangerous social tensions.

 

Revival of Georgia is not the party of political declarations and popular slogans; it is the political organisation making democratic changes and having solid experience and practical results in economic development, which gives excellent possibilities for active adoption and defending of European values in Georgia.

 

Distinguished colleagues, please consider the Revival of Georgia block as your true partners in the long and difficult process of rebuilding democracy in Georgia, and believe that the grateful people of our country will never forget your support.

 

Thank you.