The co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the monitoring of Georgia, Michael Aastrup Jensen (Denmark, ALDE) and Boriss Cilevics (Latvia, SOC), expressed their concern about the pattern and number of opposition candidates in the local elections who have withdrawn their candidature, allegedly under pressure.
They called upon the authorities to swiftly and transparently investigate these allegations and to take immediate remedial action if these are proved to be grounded. “It is clear that the withdrawal of candidates for an election under pressure has no place in a democratic society, and it would be unacceptable if that had taken place”, said the co-rapporteurs.
The rapporteurs will present their draft report on the functioning of democratic institutions to the Monitoring Committee during the Assembly’s Summer Session (23-27 June 2014).