MOSCOW, September 11. /TASS/. The US has agreed to "cooperate" with the leadership of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in order to meddle in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Georgia, the press service of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said in a statement made available to TASS.
"According to information received by the SVR, the US Department of State intends to engage a new tool of meddling in the October 26 parliamentary elections in Georgia in order to prevent the victory of the currently ruling Georgian Dream party, which Washington disapproves of," the press service said. "The Americans agreed to 'cooperate' with the OSCE ODIHR leadership on the Georgian track," the agency added.
According to the SVR, "the plan is that 10-20 days before the vote, the OSCE ODIHR will publish an interim report concluding that the country lacks conditions to hold free and honest elections." "After the first election results are published, a statement will be made about the electoral process not complying with democratic norms," the press service noted.
Mouthpiece for dishonest agendas
"Washington’s plan is obvious and does not come as a surprise anymore - to give an excuse to Georgia’s pro-Western opposition to launch mass protest rallies aiming to take over power in the country by force," the SVR pointed out.
"The involvement of ODIHR in such schemes is regrettable because, as it says on the official OSCE website, it is supposed to provide "support, assistance and expertise to participating States and civil society to promote democracy, rule of law, human rights and tolerance and non-discrimination,’" the agency emphasized.
"We particularly note ODIHR’s willingness to recognize the vote as ‘non-democratic’ ahead of time, before it is held. This attests to ODIHR completely turning into a mouthpiece for the US authorities’ dishonest agenda. In the current situation, Russia’s decision to cut financing for the OSCE in order to weaken at least in some way the destructive activity of this once respected organization appears justified," the SVR concluded.