Nino Burjanadze: Statement of the United State Ambassador on pre-electoral environment is unintelligible.
Following the conclusion of the ‘Council of Leaders’, Nino
Burjanadze responded to the statement by the US Ambassador
positively evaluating the pre-electoral environment: “’Council of
Leader’ compiled a very interesting document regarding the
pre-electoral environment. It is unfortunate that the US Ambassador
rushed his assessment of the elections, as though, on purpose. All
oppositional parties regard the pre-electoral environment as
unequal and unfair, yet, the US Ambassador makes a positive
statement on the same issue. Which is incomprehensible.
As Burjanadze noted, if elections in Georgia are held for the US
Embassy, and for the participation of the latter, which is
partially true, then I understand. If elections are held for
political parties, however, then we state that pre-electoral
environment is neither free, nor democratic. The fact that we do
not observe daily physical violence does not mean ideal standard.
“To me personally, assessment of pre-electoral environment as
positive appears strange, when everyone speaks of abnormal
disparity in donations, results of media-monitoring, harassment,
utilisation of the administrative resource.”