Occupation line deters citizens from making their voices heard in municipal elections

Georgian citizens whose homes fall behind the Russian occupation line with Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia) are unable to participate in today’s Municipal Elections.

The occupation force warned them not to cross the line to reach a polling station on Tbilisi-controlled territory or they would be fined or even detained.

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Despite the threat, one elderly man from the occupied village of Khurvaleti – named Data Vanishvili - managed to sneak through the barbed-wire fence and cast his ballot.

The occupation line isolates the house of Vanishvili and his family from the rest of the village of Khurvaleti for years. The occupation prevents the family from freely moving along the village and sometimes even from buying food.

Data Vanishvili's house fall behind the Russian-erected barbed-wire fence so he can't communicate with his neighbours any more. Photo by Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge

Vanishvili managed to get to the Tbilisi-controlled area to participate in the elections when Russian-controlled guards had finished patrolling along the fence.

The man used the same method to participate in the 2016 Parliamentary Elections too, but that time the occupants found out what he did and fined him 2,000 Russian rubles.

• Click here to read more about life behind the barbed-wire fence.

Today Georgians are voting for 2,058 members of 64 city councils (sakrebulo) and 64 municipal mayors.

Twenty-two political parties, five election blocs and one initiative group have registered their party lists for the elections.

To win the mayoral elections, candidates must clear a 50 percent threshold. If this is not reached, a second round of voting will be held.