Paweł Herczyński, the Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia, said the bloc was “very pleased” that the Georgian Government had invited the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights to observe the upcoming parliamentary elections in the country.

Herczyński expressed hope that the elections would be held under the highest international standards so that Georgia's democracy could be strengthened and the country would be “better prepared” to become a member of the EU “as soon as possible”.

The Ambassador noted that conducting free and fair elections was one of the priorities outlined by the European Commission for Georgia to open accession talks with the EU, adding the bloc would monitor the election process “very actively”.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry on February 14 addressed Matteo Mecacci, the Director of the OSCE/ODIHR, with an invitation to send observers for the general elections in the country, set to be held on October 26, using electronic voting for the first time in Georgia.