Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze publicly stated for the first time that the authorities do not intend to invite European observers from the OSCE/ODIHR to the local elections in October. This was the head of the Georgian government's response to the British Embassy’s call to stop accusing the diplomatic mission of financing extremism, to follow OSCE recommendations, and to invite its observers to the municipal elections. Georgia is facing a triple crisis, and it seems no one can stop it, says fifth President Salome Zourabichvili.

“Who even asks the British Embassy about political processes in Georgia?” Guram Macharashvili, a member of parliament from the pro-government People’s Power party, expressed indignation in the lobby of parliament. He demanded that the British Ambassador to Georgia, Gareth Ward, publicly explain “what he was allocating hundreds of thousands of pounds sterling for.”

The British Embassy condemned the Georgian authorities’ rhetoric towards their Western partners and accusations that the British government was funding NGOs and media outlets working to raise public awareness of democracy and elections:

"The Georgian government itself supported these activities, and we categorically disagree with the description of them as funding 'propaganda and extremism.' This is not true. Georgian legislation provides for monitoring by observer organizations, which is an important part of professional and transparent election oversight," the embassy wrote on social media. The diplomatic mission, leveraging its status as a strategic partner of Georgia, also called for OSCE/ODIHR observers for the municipal elections.