Opposition candidate says no time for celebration as 2nd round of elections is ahead
Two opposition parties have stated that they will support Grigol Vashadze in the election run-off. Photo: Grigol Vashadze’s press office.
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The presidential candidate of ten opposition parties Grigol Vashadze, who came second in the presidential race based on the current data of the Central Election Commission, says that it is no time for euphoria as the second round of the elections is still ahead.
He claims that despite “tons of money and a government attempt to fabricate the elections”, the opposition is very close to victory.
I promise that our fight in the second round will be as brave as it was in the first round,” Vashadze said, and thanked the third candidate David Bakradze from the European Georgia opposition for his promised support in the runoff.
Vashadze also thanked the Republican Party which stated that they will support him in the second round.
The Central Election Commission of Georgia has counted 99 per cent of votes and the results show that the Georgian Dream supported candidate Salome Zurabishvili received 38.6 per cent of the vote and her opponent from the opposition Grigol Vashadze received 37.7 percent of the vote.
The outcome means that a runoff will be held no later than 2 December between the two top candidates of the first round as none of them were able to receive at least 51 per cent of total votes.
3,689 of a total of 3,705 polling stations have been counted: the ruling Georgian Dream party supported independent candidate Salome Zurabishvili received 38.6 per cent of the vote and the presidential candidate of ten opposition parties, Grigol Vashadze, received 37.7 per cent.
The Georgian Dream ruling party, the European Georgia opposition party and Rustavi 2 private broadcaster have released the results of exit polls they have conducted. The exit poll results were announced as soon as all polling stations in Georgia were closed at 8 pm.
Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Natia Mezvrishvili has held a briefing where she reported on the election process and incidents in or near polling stations.
38.16% of total voters or 1,337,284 people have cast their votes in the presidential elections. The polls will close at 20 p.m. tonight.
The Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE) and its office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) have released their preliminary assessments about the 28 October presidential elections in Georgia.
"We received a clear message about our mistakes from our people, as well as about the expectations they have towards us regarding concrete challenges, the challenges which bother them and their families. We have seen much from the elections, we have seen that many things need to be changed in the shortest terms,” Bakhtadze said.
The Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) has ended the counting process of votes for the 28 October presidential elections.The votes of all 3,705 polling stations have been counted and the results mean that a runoff will be held no later than 2 October between the top two candidates-Zurabishvili and Vashadze.
EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Maja Kocijancic has stated that according to the preliminary conclusions of the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission, the 28 October presidential elections in Georgia were "competitive and professionally administered", giving Georgian voters a genuine voice.
Georgian Deputy Interior Minister Natia Mezvrishvili says that 15 individuals have been charged for 28 October election-related violations.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs is investigating an alleged attack on the members of the United National Movement opposition in eastern Akhalkalaki region today, which is inhabited mostly by ethnic Armenians.
Imedi TV channel has announced they will operate in a way so as not to allow the ‘old regime’ [referring to Mikheil Saakshvili’s United National Movement] to return to power.
Former Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili who resigned earlier this year has released a special statement in which he appeals to the Georgian people to “preserve the values they voted for in 2012”.
Former members of parliament and citizens of Batumi have founded a movement called Angry Batumelebi.
Heads of the EU and UNDP representations in Georgia have evaluated the election environment ahead of the presidential runoff and mentioned high competition, a democratic election process but that the election campaign period has included aggression.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has stated at a briefing today that former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili met Russian interests when his party, the United National Movement, nominated Grigol Vashadze for president.
The second round of Georgia’s presidential elections will be held on November 28, according to the decision of the Central Election Commission which was announced today.
The government of Georgia will allocate 10,583,022 GEL [4 million USD] for the November 28 presidential election runoff. The government allocated 42 million GEL for the first round of elections, which was held on 28 October.
Head of the Service Development Agency of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia Soso Giorgadze says NGO allegations that fake ID documents are being printed to engineer the upcoming presidential elections are “absurd and invented.”
"I am happy that I see ministers, presidential candidates in the cathedral on the Saint George’s day. I am sure that you [presidential candidates] will meet both victory and failure similarly. The one who will win should not think that he/she is better than others. I am sure that you will stand together and help each other,” Ilia II stated and handed the icons of Saint George to the candidates.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has stated today that holding the elections in a free, fair and transparent environment has turned into a tradition under the Georgian Dream government since 2012.