Opposition boycotts results, demands repeat elections
Claiming they do not accept the election results, opposition leaders said they will protect their votes and will not surrender. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Tweet 
Share
Opposition politicians have gathered in front of the parliament of Georgia in central Rustaveli Avenue to protest the results of the Central Election Commission (CEC).
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.
Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
The UNM majoritarian candidate for Gldani constituency Nika Melia took of the monitoring bracelet in front of his supporters at Rustaveli Avenue today, saying 'this is the symbol of injustice'.
Melia, who was charged with incitement to violence during the Tbilisi protests last year, has to wear an electronic bracelet to be monitored.
- Opposition plans not to take up mandates in parliament, calls for repeat elections
- Mtavari Arkhi TV director calls on opposition to protect their votes as CEC delays publication of initial results
Calling it a 'violent bracelet' Melia said he refuses to wear it anymore. "Will I be imprisoned, or will I be in a war together with you in coming days, the nation will win", he said.
Isani constituency Khatia Dekanoidze who is also among the opposition politicians who cleared for the run off, said she will stay in front of the parliament tonight in protest.
Having marched to the residence of the ruling party leader Bidzina Ivanishvili, the opposition politicians and their supporters said they wanted to make noise and make Ivanishvli hear ‘the voices of angry Georgians’. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
The ruling Georgian Dream party received over 48% of votes in yesterday’s parliamentary elections, followed by the United National Movement with 27%.
Georgian Dream candidates are winning the majoritarian race in the first round of elections in 14 of 30 majoritarian constituencies.
- Int'l observers: parliamentary elections were competitive, fundamental freedoms were respected
- US Embassy welcomes ‘competitive’ Georgian elections, laments ‘deficiencies’
However, a second round of elections is expected to take place in the remaining 16 constituencies, including in all of the eight constituencies in Tbilisi.
Meanwhile, the ruling party leader Irakli Kobakhidze has welcomed the fact that a total of nine parties have overcome the election threshold and will form a pluralistic parliament. He meanwhile noted that the opposition eventually join the new parliament.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia wrote on his Facebook today that he has gone into self-isolation after one of his aides tested positive for coronavirus. PM Gakharia, who continues to work remotely, thanked international observers ‘for their commitment to Georgia’s democracy’ amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Georgia has held peaceful, just, safe and democratic elections, says Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili.
“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.
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.
Election commissions across Georgia have received 289 complaints about polling violations, the Central Election Commission said following the closure of stations, with most of the formal objections relating to "procedural" issues.
MEPs on EU-Georgia relations from the European Parliament have congratulated Georgia, 'a key ally of the EU', on 'successfully' organising the first round of the parliamentary elections held on October 31 in Georgia despite ‘the difficult epidemiological context'.
The Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) has counted all votes cast in Saturday’s parliamentary elections. Nine parties have crossed the one per cent threshold to make it into the 150-member parliament per the proportional electoral system (120 seats in the legislative body). In the majoritarian elections the ruling Georgian Dream candidates has won 14 of 30 majoritarian constituences. A run-off will be held in 16 majoritarian constituencies on November 21, where the ruling Georgian Dream candidates won the race in 15 (of 16) constituencies, however, they were unable to receive at least 51% of total votes.
The spokesperson of the EU External Action Service has released a statement on the first round of the 2020 parliamentary elections held in Georgia on October 31 'under a revised electoral system and with high voter turnout, despite the challenging context of the Covid-19 pandemic'.
MPs of the Lelo and Alliance of Patriots opposition parties have refused to take up their mandates in parliament.
Tbilisi City Court has set bail at 70,000 GEL for United National Movement MP Nika Melia. He has also been prohibited from leaving Georgia without informing the prosecution in advance and receiving its consent.
Member of opposition party European Georgia Irma Nadirashvili states that the founder and the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili is ‘more dangerous for Georgia than Covid-19,’ responding to the statement of Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia that opposition rallies will cause a sharp increase in coronavirus cases.