LUXEMBOURG, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- The European Union said Monday it was offering firm support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia following a recent election.
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili announced he would move his United National Movement party to the opposition after losing to the Georgian Dream party in Oct. 1 elections.
Saakashvili was accused of monopolizing his power following a revolution in 2004. In 2008, he was criticized for going to war with Russia over the disputed territories of South Osettia and Abkhazia.
The European Union said, in a conclusion published Monday, that it was standing by the administration in Tbilisi.
"The Council (of Europe) reiterates its firm support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders," it added.
Russian political analysts said a reset with Tbilisi wasn't expected.
Saakashvili remains in power until October 2013. The country's government will shift to a parliamentary system after those elections. The EU said it was of "critical importance" that all voices in Georgia continue to support democratic development.
