TBILISI, Georgia, 1 October 2012 -- Tonino Picula (MP, Croatia), the special co-ordinator to lead the OSCE short-term election observation mission to Georgia, and more than 50 observers from the Parliamentary Assembly headed to polling stations today to monitor election day activity.

In a joint statement released Saturday by the heads of the Parliamentary delegations of the OSCE, Council of Europe, NATO and the European Parliament, observers called on all election stakeholders and political leaders to exercise restraint, renounce violence and not respond to provocation in promoting their platforms.

In the last two days observers received in-depth briefings from party officials, candidates, election administrators, and representatives of civil society."We believe that the Georgian people must be able to exercise their civil and democratic rights and choose their representatives in a peaceful atmosphere. Political leaders should be chosen through the ballot box and not on the streets," said the joint statement.

Picula will deliver the official post-election statement on behalf of the OSCE and the international election observation mission at a news conference Tuesday at 14:30 local time at the Marriott Courtyard in Tbilisi.