TBILISI, DFWatch – Germany’s Christian Democrat party calls for democratic elections in Georgia in October.

In a press release entitled Ensure Fair Elections in Georgia, the CDU’s faction in the Bundestag calls for Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to take seriously the violations in previous elections and organize free and fair elections that comply with OSCE standards.

The CDU specifically mentions free access to the media, unrestricted campaigning and equal treatment of all political competitors, as well as overseeing the counting of votes by secret ballot.

Philipp Missfelder, Foreign Policy Spokesperson for the CDU / CSU says that these elections are particularly important because it is an opportunity to establish new standards and set an example of democracy in the former Soviet Union and the Caucasus region.

The statement recalls that the last parliamentary elections on May 21, 2008, were viewed generally positively by international observers, and the result largely reflected the will of the voters, although there were some violations.

Germany’s governing party also recalls that bilateral cooperation with Georgia was established in 1992, and that key areas of cooperation are energy supply and environmental protection, sustainable economic development, community development, the reform of the justice system and support for internally displaced.

Georgia is to hold parliamentary elections this fall, but the date is not yet set.