Local NGOs say gov’t failed to conduct elections in line with democratic standards
NGOs have demanded the recount of ballot papers in several polling stations. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Twenty-five local NGOs, including Transparency International Georgia, Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association and International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, have said in a joint statement that the Georgian Dream government has failed to conduct October 31 parliamentary elections in line with democratic standards.
The NGOs said that the Saturday’s elections were ‘less free and democratic’ compared to any other elections conducted under the current state leadership ‘which is affecting our country’s stable development and is damaging for Georgia’s international reputation.’
The NGOs said that incidents of verbal and physical abuse took place on the election day and journalists and observers were unable to carry out their duties in several cases.
Only five NGOs wrote more than 500 complaints in different polling stations,” said the NGOs.
Opposition parties have accused the Georgian Dream leadership and the country's Central Election Commission of fabricating the elections. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
The NGOs have demanded the recount of votes in the polling stations where there is an imbalance between ballot papers and voters’ signatures on the lists, as well as ‘legal and unbiased discussion of all election complaints.’
International observers, embassies and the US Department of State said that the elections were mostly free and competitive.
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The ruling Georgian Dream party says that the opposition has failed to accept the election results in a dignified manner.
The ruling party has urged ISFED to present the polling stations where they counted the votes to learn why there was the three per cent difference between the results presented by ISFED (through parallel vote count) and the official results released by the country's Central Election Commission).
Former President of Georgia, Ukrainian citizen Mikheil Saakashvili, has urged people to join the opposition rally on November 8 in Tbilisi despite the recent surge in coronavirus cases.
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.
MPs of the Lelo and Alliance of Patriots opposition parties have refused to take up their mandates in parliament.
The Georgian Central Election Commission has responded to a report that in eight per cent of polling stations, ballot papers outnumbered voters’ signatures on the list.
'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.
The trial of 7 people detained during rallies near the buildings of district election commissions is underway at Tbilisi City Court.
The President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) Attila Mesterhazy has issued a statement on the recent political and electoral developments in Georgia, in which he writes that although fundamental freedoms had been respected during the campaign and on election day, there had been several incidents which affected public confidence in parts of the process. He calls on Georgian authorities to investigate all incidents in a transparent and fair manner.