Opposition plans not to take up mandates in parliament, calls for repeat elections
Opposition parties are holding a rally on Rustaveli Avenue, protesting the election results.
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Opposition parties which surpassed the one percent election threshold in Saturday’s parliamentary elections in Georgia or nearly did so say they will not take up their mandates in parliament and instead will take to the streets and call for repeat elections.
Leaders of the United National Movement, European Georgia, Lelo for Georgia, Strategy Aghmashenebeli and the United Georgia-Democratic Movement opposition parties have accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of vote buying and threatening voters.
Opposition leaders have stated they will not take up their mandates in parliament, and demand a repeat election.
European Georgia will hold consultations later today and we will make a final decision on what to do,” party leader Gigi Ugulava stated earlier today.
He also said that the opposition has plans to hold a large rally in Tbilisi on November 7.
Lelo for Georgia says that they do not recognise the election results and ‘will not tolerate the fabrication of the elections.’
The ruling Georgian Dream party says that the opposition has failed to accept the election results in a dignified manner. Photo: Georgian Dream press office.
Leader of Strategy Aghmashenebeli Giorgi Vashadze says that the opposition ‘must act unanimously and we must not enter parliament..’
Leader of the Democratic Movement - United Georgia Nino Burjanadze said that the elections ‘are not legitimate and we must call for repeat elections.’
Opposition supporters are already gathering on Rustaveli Avenue in central Tbilisi as the UNM party called for a rally yesterday.
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Ruling Georgian Dream party leaders say that the elections were held ‘very fairly and transparently despite the pandemic’ and that the opposition ‘has failed to accept the election results in a dignified manner.’
The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) NGO has released the results of parallel vote tabulation (PVT) which says that the ruling Georgian Dream party received 45.8% of the vote, while the United Opposition bloc (with the United National Movement) received 26.4% of the vote.
Local NGO Transparency International Georgia (TI Georgia) says the analysis of 170 election-related violations and 46 complaints ‘makes it clear that the Georgian parliamentary elections were a step back compared with the 2016 parliamentary elections’.
The ruling Georgian Dream party expects to take at least 92 seats in the 150-member parliament after the second round of majoritarian elections in 14 of 30 majoritarian constituencies in Tbilisi and regions which is likely to take place on November 21.
Georgia has held peaceful, just, safe and democratic elections, says Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili.
Former Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili writes on his Facebook page that the ‘political greed of the ruling party may cost the government and the country dearly.’
“Georgia’s parliamentary elections were competitive and, overall, fundamental freedoms were respected”, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in its preliminary statement today.
The leader of opposition United National Movement (UNM) Nika Melia has called on the public to gather in front of the parliament building at the central Rustaveli Avenue at 4 p.m. on November 1.
The United States Embassy in Georgia has welcomed the recent "competitive" parliamentary elections in the country and applauded citizens for their turnout against the backdrop of the pandemic, while also pointing out "deficiencies" in the process that require resolution by the authorities.
A number of foreign dignitaries have assessed Georgia's parliamentary elections of October 31, which were held against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said his country is ready to continue supporting Georgia's Euro-Atlantic path.
Unanimous in their demands for repeat elections, the parties which have overcame the mandatory 1% threshold, including the United National Movement, Euroepan Georgia, Strategy Aghmashenebeli, Lelo for Georgia, Labour Party and Girchi, accuse the CEC of falsifying elections on behalf of the ruling party.