Thousands of Georgians took to the streets of capital Tbilisi on Monday evening to protest against the results of Saturday’s parliamentary elections, which saw the ruling pro-Kremlin Georgian Dream party secure a majority amid widespread reports of voting irregularities.
Members of the opposition called for the annulment of Saturday’s election, which, according to Georgia’s Central Election Commission (CEC), gave the predominantly pro-Russian Georgian Dream party 54% of the vote compared to the opposition bloc’s 38%.
A joint report published on Sunday by European election observers, including the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, said that while the election offered voters “a wide choice” of candidates, the voting was “marred by an uneven playing field, pressure and tension”.
Photo: Zurab Tsertsvadze / AP Photo / Scanpix / LETA
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, who on Sunday called on citizens to protest against what she described as a “Russian special operation” designed to keep Georgian Dream in power, addressed a crowd of around 20,000 people outside the Georgian Parliament in Tbilisi on Monday.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili addresses the crowd. Photo: Irakli Gedenidze / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA
“I want to tell you that those of you who are here today — you did not lose the elections,” Zourabichvili said. “Your vote was stolen, and they tried to steal your future as well. But no one has the right to do that, and you will not allow it.”
Photo: Irakli Gedenidze / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA
“A complete picture must be drawn of how this massive, systematic theft of votes took place. This unprecedented, pre-planned operation that robbed us of our ballots, our parliament, and our constitution,” Zourabichvili continued, stressing that “the results they wrote down will not be the final ones”.
Photo: Giorgi Arjevanidze / AFP / Scanpix / LETA
For their part, Georgian Dream representatives, including Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, hailed Georgian Dream’s “landslide” victory in the elections, asserting that while “irregularities happen everywhere”, Saturday’s vote was largely “in line with legal principles and the principle of democratic elections”.
Photo: Yevgeny Razumny / Kommersant / Sipa USA / Vida Press
Photo: Zurab Tsertsvadze / AP Photo / Scanpix / LETA
In response to the public outcry, the CEC announced on Monday that it would recount ballots at five polling stations in each electoral district to “verify the data”, but so far, no plans for a more comprehensive recount have yet been announced.
“We are in the mood to fight, and I think we should make it clear that we do not recognise the results of these elections.”
The protests against the results look set to continue, with many Georgians determined to fight the outcome of an election they believe was rigged. “Many around me are once again preparing for water cannons and gas, if not today, then in the next few days,” Mariam, one of the protesters who attended the Monday rally, told Georgian news outlet Paper Kartuli. “In any case, we are in the mood to fight, and I think we should make it clear that we do not recognise the results of these elections.”
“Many are seriously considering leaving the country,” Nuki, another protester, told the outlet. “But before I make such a decision, there is still one more battle to be fought. And the chances of victory are high.”
Photo: Mirian Meladze / Anadolu / Abaca Press / ddp images / Vida Press
Join us in rebuilding Novaya Gazeta Europe
The Russian government has banned independent media. We were forced to leave our country in order to keep doing our job, telling our readers about what is going on Russia, Ukraine and Europe.
We will continue fighting against warfare and dictatorship. We believe that freedom of speech is the most efficient antidote against tyranny. Support us financially to help us fight for peace and freedom.
By clicking the Support button, you agree to the processing of your personal data.
To cancel a regular donation, please write to [email protected]
