Foreign interference? OSCE’s Kauma cancels Georgia visit amid protests

President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Pia Kauma, said on Monday that she is postponing her scheduled visit to Georgia hours after Western lawmakers urged her not to proceed with the trip. Kauma was supposed to travel to Georgia later this week. Supporters of Georgia’s opposition parties, which are backed by European Union member states, have been protesting against the government for weeks.

Kauma’s decision follows statements by US Congressman Joe Wilson and German politician Michael Roth that many Georgians see as an interference in their country’s internal affairs.

“Following discussions and after close consideration, I’ve decided to postpone visiting Georgia until a time that the @OSCEPA’s engagement would be most effective,” Kauma said in a post on X (formerly Twitter), announcing her decision.

“We remain ready to listen to all voices and offer assistance in implementing @osce_odihr election recommendations,”

Kauma was set to visit Tbilisi from January 8–10 to discuss the aftermath of Georgia's October 26 parliamentary elections. Georgia Dream (GD) won the elections, and despite opposition outcry, OSCE observers didn’t reject the result.

The announcement of Kauma’s visit was earlier met with sharp criticism from opposition parties and former pro-Western President Salome Zurabishvili, who accused the ruling GD of planning to use the visit to assert its legitimacy.

Zurabishvili, a former French citizen and ex-ambassador of France to Georgia, was removed from office following the election of Mikheil Kavelashvili, who was sworn in as president on December 29.

Zurabishvili continues to receive support from the country’s four main pro-EU opposition parties, which have boycotted parliament since the election. Critics have accused her of running a “deep state” agenda.

These parties assert that she remains the legitimate president, defying the country’s democratic process, and have called for fresh elections to address the political crisis.

Kauma's decision to postpone the visit came after three Georgian opposition forces—Coalition for Change, Unity-UNM, and Strong Georgia—jointly urged her to condition her visit on specific political demands.

Opposition calling for new elections.

In their letter, the opposition accused Georgian Dream of running a "self-proclaimed regime" and claimed the October elections were rigged.

“The self-proclaimed regime of Georgian Dream is solely focused on achieving international recognition of the results of the falsified elections... It does not consider releasing political prisoners or holding new elections,” the letter read.

These accusations, however, lack basis and reflect the opposition’s consistent refusal to engage constructively in Georgia’s democratic process.

The opposition, along with certain Western-backed civil society groups, reportedly declined to meet with the OSCE delegation, demonstrating an unwillingness to engage in dialogue or acknowledge the legitimacy of international institutions.

The US and German pressure

Kauma’s visit faced growing opposition not only from Georgian opposition but also from Western figures critical of the Georgian government.

Critics argue that such interventions undermine Georgia’s sovereignty and exacerbate existing political divides.

US Congressman Joe Wilson, chair of the Helsinki Commission, publicly called on Kauma to cancel her trip, alleging that the Georgian government would exploit it to legitimise what he termed an “authoritarian takeover.”

In his letter, Wilson reiterated the Western accusations against the Georgian Dream of rigging the elections and undermining Georgia’s aspirations to align with the West.

“My firm view is that Georgian Dream officials conspired to rig this vote... Despite your noble intentions, I fear it is inevitable that Georgian Dream will misconstrue your engagement as symbolising international approbation,” Wilson wrote.

Michael Roth, Chair of the German Bundestag’s Foreign Affairs Committee, also criticised Kauma’s visit, echoing the line taken by Wilson. Roth on Sunday called the trip a "serious mistake" and urged the OSCE to demand free and fair elections.

“OSCE PA must not legitimise an illegitimate president, government, and parliament that emerged from rigged elections. EU, CoE, and OSCE should insist on free and fair new elections,” Roth stated.

The GD has repeatedly accused Western powers of meddling in its internal affairs, claiming such actions are part of a broader strategy to impose external agendas on the country.

Experts say GD won the elections on the back of its economic policies that have lifted the country’s GDP since the party came to power in 2012.