We, the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, Transparency International Georgia, and Article 42 of the Constitution, express our utmost concern about incidents of pressure on local self-government bodies of various municipalities of Georgia, which have recently become frequent. The observation on the post-election period has made it clear that members of municipal councils and employees of municipal administrations were subjected to pressure at various times and in various forms. Such incidents took place in relation to employees of the municipal bodies of Marneuli, Samtredia, and Poti, while forms of pressure on representatives of the municipal administrations of Tetritskaro and Tsalka, which took place on November 12-13, clearly assumed an unlawful and violent character.

We believe that the exercise of local self-government is the right of citizens of Georgia and an opportunity by which – through local self-government bodies and in accordance with law – they regulate and manage issues of local importance independently, with their own responsibility, and for the benefit of local population. Accordingly, any interference in and pressure on the activity of local self-government bodies which interrupts or prevents their normal functioning is disturbing.

We call on all political parties and their supporters to refrain from putting any type of pressure on local self-government bodies. We also request the relevant bodies to study the incidents of pressure, which have become frequent, and to apply relevant sanctions against the offenders.