Friday08 November 2024
glasno.com.ua

The President of Georgia rejects the election results and announces a protest rally.

The Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, announced that the government will be confirmed despite the opposition's refusal to acknowledge the election results. Josep Borrell and the European Commission are urging the Georgian authorities to conduct a swift, transparent, and independent investigation into the reported violations.
Президент Грузии отверг результаты выборов и объявил о планах проведения акции протеста.

The President of Georgia does not recognize the results of the parliamentary elections that took place over the weekend, in which, according to the electoral commission, the ruling party "Georgian Dream" emerged victorious. Salome Zourabichvili made this statement on Sunday in Tbilisi, alongside opposition leaders.

She called on all dissenters to gather on Monday evening on Rustaveli Avenue in the capital to protest against what she termed a “total falsification, a total theft of votes.” "No one can take Georgia's European future away," added Salome Zourabichvili.

We were not just witnesses but also victims of what can only be characterized as a Russian special operation - a new form of hybrid warfare unleashed against our people and our country... I do not recognize these elections.
Salome Zourabichvili President of Georgia

According to the Central Electoral Commission, after counting the votes from all polling stations, the ruling party "Georgian Dream" received 53.93% of the votes.

Four opposition parties also surpassed the five percent threshold:

  • “Coalition for Changes” – 11.037% (229,006 votes);
  • “Unity – National Movement” – 10.164% (210,895 votes);
  • “Strong Georgia” – 8.814% (182,891 votes);
  • “Gakharia for Georgia” – 7.771% (161,250 votes).

Gia Japaridze, a member of the "United National Movement" coalition (which received 10.17% of the votes), stated that he "does not intend to take a seat in parliament because this parliament is illegitimate." Helen Khoshtaria, leader of the "Strong Georgia" coalition (which garnered 8.8%), hopes that the action on Monday will be "the first manifestation of unity, where people will have the opportunity to loudly declare to the world that Georgia is fighting for its European future."

The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, and the European Commission issued a joint statement regarding the parliamentary elections in Georgia. It noted that "the election day was generally organized and conducted properly," but "was marked by a tense atmosphere, frequent violations of the secrecy of the vote, and several procedural inconsistencies, as well as reports of intimidation and pressure on voters, which negatively affected public trust in the process."

"We urge the Central Electoral Commission of Georgia and other relevant authorities to fulfill their duty to promptly, transparently, and independently investigate and make decisions regarding electoral violations and allegations thereof. These violations must be addressed. This is a necessary step towards restoring trust in the electoral process. The EU looks forward to the final report and recommendations from the OSCE/ODIHR, which should be implemented as soon as possible."
Josep Borrell Head of European Diplomacy

On the eve of the elections, OSCE observers stated that "although voters were offered a wide choice from 18 lists, and candidates were generally able to campaign freely, the parliamentary elections in Georgia were overshadowed by entrenched polarization, causing division through pre-election rhetoric and widespread reports of pressure on voters."

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The joint observation mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA), and the European Parliament (EP) noted a deepening of political disagreements, as well as significant imbalances in financial resources and numerous advantages enjoyed by the ruling party. Ahead of the elections, numerous civil society organizations reported the stigmatizing impact of the "foreign influence transparency law," as well as cases of attacks and intimidation.

The Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, stated that the government of the country will be confirmed despite the opposition's refusal to recognize the voting results.

"For all these years, they have never been able to accept the election results and graciously accept their defeat. They have lost for the ninth time," he claims.

Kobakhidze also stated that "any attempt to challenge the constitutional order is unacceptable."