“We do not recognize the fake results”

After the election in Georgia, the pro-European opposition made serious accusations: the preliminary results were falsified and they were not recognized. The election management sees the pro-Russian government party in the lead.

The pro-European opposition in Georgia has rejected the preliminary results of the parliamentary election as fraudulent. “We do not recognize the falsified results,” said the head of the largest opposition United National Movement party, Tinatin Bokuchava. An action plan for government opponents will be agreed upon in the next few hours.

The election management carried out billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili's dirty orders, said Bokushava. Ivanishvili is the founder and honorary chairman of the pro-Russian ruling party Georgian Dream.

After counting most of the votes, the electoral commission awarded the governing party an absolute majority. The 68-year-old Ivanishvili celebrated his victory shortly after the polls closed.

“This is a constitutional coup”

The pro-European opposition coalition Coalition for Change also declared that it would not recognize the results. “The elections have been stolen from the opposition. This is a constitutional coup and an abuse of power,” politician Nika Gwaramia said at a news conference. The elections were falsified using a complicated technological scheme. He didn't give any details.

The opposition in Georgia is divided. Some parties had formed electoral alliances. In total, around 3.5 million people in the country were called to vote. According to preliminary information, voter turnout was around 59 percent – three percentage points higher than in 2020. Georgia is a candidate for EU membership, but the process is on hold due to controversial laws.

Orban congratulates pro-Russian people Governing party

The ruling Georgian Dream party received congratulations from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Prime Minister Iraqi Kobachidze's party had achieved an overwhelming victory, Orban wrote on the short message service X while the votes were being counted. “The people of Georgia know what is best for their country and they made their voices heard today!”

The Georgian Dream party, which has been in power for twelve years, wants to expand relations with Russia, while the opposition is seeking to join the European Union. Democratic principles are also at stake in the parliamentary elections. Ivanishvili had announced that if his party won the election, it would ban opposition parties.

President reports violence at polling stations

According to pro-European President Salome Zurabishvili, there were violent clashes on election day. “I would like to draw attention to the deeply disturbing incidents of violence at various polling stations,” she said. Videos on online networks showed confrontations at several polling stations.

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.

“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 what appeared to be clogged ballot boxes in the southeastern village of Sadachlo.

“They are stuffing ballot boxes, harassing voters and beating observers,” said opposition politician Bokuschawa. Referring to the powerful billionaire Ivanishvili, she declared: “Bidzina Ivanishvili's thugs are desperately trying to cling to power and are ready to do anything to undermine the electoral process.”