President Zurabishvili thanks CEC chair Zhvania for holding 'free, fair, just elections' amid pandemic
President Salome Zurabishvili held a meeting with the Central Election Commisison chair Tamar Zhvania today. Photo: President's press office
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Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili spoke about the recent parliamentary elections with the Central Election Commission (CEC) chairperson Tamar Zhvania earlier today.
President Zurabishvili thanked Zhvania and her team for holding ‘free, fair and just’ elections amid the coronavirus pandemic.
During the meeting Zurabishvili and Zhvania welcomed ‘positive’ preliminary assessments of the observation missions and international community as well.
Tamar Zhvania and her team at @cecgovge managed to hold free, fair, and just elections despite the COVID pandemic. Thank you for your work and thank you to the entire CEC team. pic.twitter.com/QOE4oRt2CM
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) November 3, 2020
Denouncing the pressure on the CEC and its female chair, Salome Zurabishvili said it is unacceptable for a democratic country to assault and threaten ‘one of the major impartial institutions’ and the ‘cornerstones of the election process’.
Earlier today, Tamar Zhvania met with the diplomatic corps and representatives of international observation missions to respond to questions about discrepancies at voting stations which have caused controversies.
Opposition accuses the CEC of falsifying the election results, they thus demand Zhvania’s resignation and holding of repeat parliamentary elections.
Chairperson of the Georgian Central Election Commision (CEC) Tamar Zhvania met with the diplomatic corps and representatives of international observation missions to respond to questions about discrepancies at voting stations which have caused controversies.
The National Democratic Institute (NDI) has released an analysis report on Georgia’s parliamentary elections, which reads that alleged irregularities in results summaries, widespread reports of potentially intimidating behaviour in or around polling stations, delays in the publication of results, and persistent perceptions of pre-election abuses of power detracted from notable improvements in the legal framework and administrative procedures for Georgia’s parliamentary elections.
Local NGOs have called for a recount of election results in over 100 polling stations following the parliamentary elections on October 31.
All eight opposition parties who crossed the one per cent election threshold in the October 31 parliament elections have signed an agreement earlier today not to take up their mandates in parliament. 12 other opposition parties, who were unable to enter the legislative body, also signed the agreement and stated that the elections ‘were not legitimate as they were fabricated.’ All 20 signatory parties have stated that they will continue to fight against the government.
'New electoral system paved way to more pluralistic parliament'
Director for Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia at the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs Michael Siebert has posted on his Twitter account about the parliamentary elections held in Georgia on October 31, stating that the new electoral system paved the way to a more pluralistic parliament.
Opposition politicians and their supporters gathered in front of the Adjara government building in the Black Sea town of Batumi to protest the results of the recent parliamentary elections held on October 31. Claiming that the ruling Georgian Dream party has ‘stolen the vote’, the protesters say repeat elections should be held in a fair environment. Protesters first gathered in Batumi yesterday in solidarity with opposition politicians rallying in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi.
Nine people, including the three opposition United Georgia party members, have been detained during the clashes with police at the Saburtalo and Isani district election commissions (DECs) in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. Opposition politicians and their supporters have gathered at various DECs in Tbilisi and regions where the election administration is reviewing the election-related appeals.
Opposition politicians and their supporters have gathered in front of the parliament of Georgia on Rustaveli Avenue, demanding repeat parliamentary elections be held. Claiming that the Central Election Commission (CEC) has falsified the results in favour of the ruling Georgian Dream party, opposition politicians are calling on the public to ‘protect their vote’.