Election run-offs are held in Georgia today
The ruling party has already won 74 seats in the 150-member parliament. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Election run-offs are held in 17 election constituencies in Georgia today, as well as a snap election of Kutaisi mayor.
The second-round of elections are conducted as none of majoritarian candidates in the 17 constituencies and for Kutaisi mayor were able to receive at least 51 per cent of votes in the first round of elections on October 31.
All polling stations were opened at 8 a.m. around the country except two polling stations in Gudauri and one polling station in Shatili due to bad weather.
One polling station in Khada Gorge was opened a bit later.
Opposition leaders have urged viters not to participate in the run-offs. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
659 polling stations are adapted for wheelchair-users, while all polling stations are adapted for visually impaired and blind voters.
The eight opposition parties, who entered parliament following the October 31 parliamentary elections, have refused to participate in the run-offs.
They say that the October 31 elections were fabricated and are demanding repeat elections.
No opposition rallies are scheduled today.
The eight opposition parties who entered parliament following the October 31 parliamentary elections still remain united in that they will not participate in the second round of elections in 17 election constituencies tomorrow and will not take up their mandates in parliament. However, the opposition parties stated earlier today that ‘no rallies’ will be held tomorrow.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia says that the November 21 election run-off in 17 election constituencies is of top importance for the country to return to a ‘normal and legal political process.' Gakharia stated earlier today that in the October 31 parliamentary elections the Georgian people came to ballot boxes amid the pandemic and allowed nine political parties to enter parliament. He stated that a stable political process in the country is vital for Georgia to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, economic crisis and regional challenges.
Marina Kaljurand, Chair of the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with the South Caucasus, calls on all political parties and candidates to participate in the second round of the November 21 parliamentary elections and take up their mandates ‘in order to honour the democratically expressed will of Georgian citizens’.
The US Department of State has released a long statement by its two senior officials (who have not been identified) earlier today, following the visit of US state Secretary Mike Pompeo to Georgia.
Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party Irakli Kobakhidze says that an agreement may be reached with opposition parties during the third round of negotiations which is being mediated by foreign ambassadors.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, who has cast his vote in the election run-offs earlier today, has stated that the government and the opposition must learn to work together to benefit the country.
A total of 177,462 people (8.29% of eligible voters) have cast ballots in the second round of Georgian parliamentary elections as of 12 p.m. today. Meanwhile, voter turnout was 19.41% at 12 p.m. during the first round of parliamentary elections on October 31.
The head and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili says that some political parties are ‘very emotional and ambitious. However, I think that common sense prevails and we will have a multi-party parliament [in the end].’