The Parliamentary Delegation to OSCE PA participated in the OSCE PA winter session, the sitting of the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions discussing the impact of the pandemic on democracy and elections.

The agenda also included the OSCE PA Observation Mission reports on the Parliamentary Elections in Georgia, Montenegro, USA, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

“Parliamentary Elections of October 31 in Georgia have been held in a free and competitive milieu with adherence to the fundamental human rights. The Elections have been held under the legislation communicated with all the opposition parties”, - the Head of the OSCE PA Observation Mission declared.

He hailed the introduction of the gender quota in the new legislation and stated that OSCE/ODIHR issued certain recommendations to render aid to Georgia.

After the reports, the Committee held the debates.

The Head of the Georgian Delegation, Nikoloz Samkharadze delivered the welcome remarks and thanked the rapporteurs for the positive assessment of the elections.

“The Parliament has already set up the Working Group on the Election Reform. The Group discusses the introduced recommendations and intends to initiate the new bill in March. Unfortunately, the part of the opposition still boycotts the Parliamentary activity in prejudice to the democratic process in Georgia”, - he stated.

The Delegation member, Maka Bochorishvili dwelt on the participation of women in politics and noted that the introduction of the gender quotas in the electoral law will have a positive impact on this process.

She, on behalf of the Delegation, thanked the OSCE PA for observing the elections in Georgia despite the pandemic.