Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union
on the Presidential elections in Georgia on 5 January 2008
The Presidential Elections on 5 January 2008 were an important test for democracy and
stability in Georgia, particularly in the light of the recent political developments in the
country.
The European Union congratulates the Georgian people for the peaceful conduct of the
elections and notes the Statement of the Preliminary Findings and Conclusions of the
International Elections Observation Mission which concludes that the elections were in
essence consistent with most OSCE and Council of Europe commitments and standards for
democratic elections. The EU also welcomes good cooperation of the Georgian authorities
with OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission. However the European Union also notes
that significant challenges were revealed which need to be addressed urgently.
The European Union urges Georgia to take all necessary steps to address the identified
shortcomings in order to ensure successful Parliamentary elections later this year. In
particular, Georgia needs to do more to reinforce the independence of state institutions in a
political campaign environment and to strengthen the freedom and pluralism of the media,
as well as the independence of the judiciary.
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The European Union looks forward to the final results of the presidential elections and
calls on the competent authorities to ensure that all complaints are adequately and urgently
addressed. Moreover, the EU urges all political forces to respect the election results and to
engage constructively and democratically in order to ensure that Georgia continues moving
forward. Dialogue between political forces is an essential part of this process. The
European Union also reiterates its full commitment to strengthen relations with Georgia in
the context of the implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan.
"The Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential
candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and the EFTA countries
Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as
Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Armenia align themselves with this declaration.
* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the
Stabilisation and Association Process."