Diego Colas: Georgia can only be stronger if democratic institutions are reinforced

`Georgia can only be stronger if democratic institutions are reinforced`, - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Georgia, Diego Colas, said in an exclusive comment with Europe Time.

`Like we have said, together with my colleagues' ambassadors from the EU, we commend the Georgian citizens, as well as the dedicated electoral staff and observers, for taking part in this important democratic Rendez-Vous.

We also welcomed that a full-fledged international electoral mission was deployed and very much supported its conclusions. In that statement, we noted with satisfaction that amendments to the electoral code that we had recommended had improved the legal framework, which is good.

We have also pointed to a number of shortcomings that remain and that, in our view, require urgent additional efforts, before the second round as well as beyond.

I have expressed my concerns several times in the past few months, especially about the need to improve the protection of journalists, without which there cannot be a healthy democratic European-style state. I have underlined the importance of a judiciary that is truly independent and of a robust commitment to the rule of law.

My view is that, given the present issues and challenges that Georgia is facing, Georgia can only be stronger if those efforts are undertaken, if democratic institutions are thus reinforced, and if the judiciary and the rule of law are widely seen as worthy of respect and full of integrity", - Diego Colas said.