Hungary’s Orbán Endorses Georgian Election Despite Rigging Outcry

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban voiced his support Tuesday for Georgia’s ruling party following a contentious parliamentary election that has sparked protests and international criticism.

Despite claims of widespread fraud and violence, Orbán, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, dismissed concerns over the legitimacy of the election results, which opposition leaders denounced as rigged.

Orbán became the first foreign leader to visit Georgia after Saturday’s election, in which the ruling Georgian Dream party claimed victory.

Was the Election ‘Stolen’?

The visit took place against a backdrop of mounting accusations from opposition leaders and Georgia’s president, who allege that the election was “stolen” with Russia’s assistance.

The allegations have drawn calls from the European Union and the United States for a full investigation.

Orbán struck a different tone after meeting with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, congratulating him on the electoral win.

“I look at the debate that has erupted around the election, I read the evaluations of international organizations, and I see that no one dares to question that this election was a free and democratic choice,” Orbán stated.

The Hungarian leader’s remarks came while protests erupted outside Georgia’s Parliament on Monday night, with demonstrators demanding a new vote supervised by international observers.

President Salome Zourabichvili, who holds a largely ceremonial role, is a fierce critic of Georgian Dream and has rejected the election results and warned of Russian influence.

Zourabichvili claimed that Russian propaganda was actively used in the campaign and suggested that voter IDs were confiscated from prisoners and welfare recipients and used to cast multiple ballots.

Critics accuse the Georgian Dream party of steering the country toward Moscow and cracking down on democratic freedoms.

Orbán faced vocal opposition upon arriving at his hotel in Tbilisi, with protesters calling him a “political prostitute” and a “puppet” in both Russian and Hungarian.

Will Georgia join the European Union?

The country’s aspirations to join the EU and NATO are enshrined in its constitution.

The ruling Georgian Dream party, founded by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, campaigned on the promise of joining the EU while maintaining “dignity.”

However, after a “foreign influence law” was passed in June, which critics argue undermines press freedom, Brussels suspended Georgia’s membership bid.

Kobakhidze, referencing the party’s shared “Christian values” with Hungary, suggested a common ground between the two nations’ conservative policies.

Orbán echoed this sentiment, asserting that both the ruling party and the opposition are committed to European integration, despite accusations that Georgian Dream opposes it.

He also praised Georgia for avoiding what he called becoming “a second Ukraine” urging the government to ignore criticism over the election.

International Response

Civil society groups have accused the ruling party of voter intimidation and ballot fraud, but proving these claims remains a challenge with a government dominated by Georgian Dream.

The Central Election Commission (CEC) stated that it had received requests from opposition parties for voter lists but declined to provide them, citing concerns over protecting personal data.

“Accepting the election result would mean Georgia is lost for its people and lost for Europe for the foreseeable future,” said Zaza Bibilashvili, founder of the Chavchavadze Center, a civil society organization. “The stakes,” he added, “are very high.”

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell urged Georgian authorities to conduct a “transparent inquiry” into the election, highlighting the country’s ongoing “democratic backsliding.”

In Washington, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller criticized the election environment, citing the ruling party’s “misuse of public resources, vote-buying, and voter intimidation.”

Miller encouraged Georgian officials to reconsider their policies in light of their relationship with the Euro-Atlantic community, warning of potential “further consequences” if antidemocratic actions continue.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press