Today's parliamentary election in Georgia is seen as groundbreaking. Pro-European and pro-Russian forces are irreconcilably opposed to each other. President Zurabishvili reports violence at several polling stations.
According to pro-European President Salome Zurabishvili, there were violent clashes during the parliamentary elections in Georgia. “I would like to draw attention to the deeply disturbing incidents of violence at various polling stations,” Zurabishvili said. Videos on online networks showed confrontations at several polling stations.
The parliamentary elections in Georgia are seen as groundbreaking. In contrast to the president, the country's government is taking an increasingly nationalist-conservative course and is oriented toward Russia. It is fueling fears that war would break out if the opposition wins the election. The opposition, on the other hand, wants to bring the country into the European Union. Georgia is a candidate for EU membership, but the process is on hold due to a series of recently passed restrictive laws.
Election management reports Attempted manipulation
According to the Central Election Commission, there was an attempted manipulation in the small town of Marneuli in the southeast of the country. A man threw in several ballot papers at a polling station and voting was then interrupted. The results at the polling station would not be counted, it was said. The opposition and the government blamed each other for the incident.
The head of the largest opposition party, the United National Movement, Tina Bokuchava, spoke of a provocation organized by the ruling Georgian Dream party because the opposition had won in the constituency. “We have already accurately identified the provocateur, who is a member of the Georgian Dream, but the police have not yet arrested him,” she said.
A representative of the Georgian Dream, however, said that the man was bought by the opposition to carry out the provocation. The aim is to then portray the election as illegitimate. The electoral commission has not yet revealed the man's identity. The Interior Ministry initiated criminal proceedings, but there has been no talk of an arrest so far.
“They bully voters and beat observers”
Election incidents were also reported online from other Georgian locations. The Young Lawyers Association spoke of “significant election violations.” The opposition parties shared footage online of apparently clogged ballot boxes in the southeastern village of Sadachlo.
“They are stuffing ballot boxes, harassing voters and beating observers,” Bokuchava said. Referring to the powerful billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who controls the pro-Russian ruling Georgian Dream party, the opposition politician said: “Bidzina Ivanishvili's thugs are desperately trying to cling to power and are prepared to do anything to undermine the electoral process.”
