The Estonian Parliament has adopted a statement on Georgia. The statement was backed by 59 members of parliament, with nine opposing.

“Over the past decade, Estonia has followed the influencing activities of the Russian Federation in polarising the Georgian society and interfering with the democratic elections in Georgia with growing concern. The results of the Georgian parliamentary elections, which took place last October in an atmosphere of violence and intimidation, do not express the free will of the Georgian people,” the Statement reads. “The governing party Georgian Dream, which enjoys the support of the Russian Federation, is using the fraudulent election results to achieve complete control over state institutions and repress the opposition and the civil society.”

In its Statement, the Riigikogu refuses to acknowledge the legitimacy of the parliament and the government of Georgia that were formed after the parliamentary elections that took place in an atmosphere of rigging and intimidation of citizens, as well as the legitimacy of the appointed President; instead, it recognises Salome Zourabichvili as the legitimate President and supports her efforts to put an end to the constitutional crisis in the country.

The Riigikogu expresses its support to the democratic forces in Georgia who are demanding new parliamentary elections that are inevitable for resolving the constitutional crisis and restoring democracy, condemns the brutal repression of peaceful demonstrations with the support of advancing Russian imperialism, and calls on ending any use of violence or persecution, as well as on liberating all political prisoners. The Riigikogu also calls on other national parliaments to condemn the violent actions of the governing regime in Georgia.

The Riigikogu urges the European Commission and the Member States of the European Union to impose sanctions on the Georgian politicians and officials involved in the violent repression of peaceful protests and in persecuting the representatives of the Georgian civil society. The Riigikogu also calls on severely restricting communications with the institutions of the illegitimate government of Georgia until free and fair elections have taken place, and on supporting the representatives of the Georgian civil society and the still surviving free media who continue to work in the name of a free society, despite intimidation and persecution.

“The Riigikogu expresses its solidarity with the Georgian nation who is defending its human rights, Constitution, democracy, and the future of Georgia within the European Union,” the statement says.