Election Commission annuls party lists of five opposition parties per their request
The opposition parties say that the elections were fabricated and are demanding repeat elections. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Tweet 
Share
The Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) has annulled the party lists of five opposition parties earlier today per their request, meaning candidates on the lists would not be able to replace opposition MPs who have officially refused to take up their mandates in parliament.
The parties and election blocs which requested the annulment of their party lists on December 11 are the United National Movement-United opposition election bloc ( UNM, State for the People and Progress and Freedom. One member of the Republicans-led bloc has not requested the annulment so far), European Georgia, Lelo, Strategy Agmashenebeli and Labour party.
The five parties also signed a memorandum in which they said that they are demanding repeat elections and refuse to take up their mandates.
The five parties and election blocs received 50 seats in parliament per the results of the October 31 elections.
The members of the parties say that they will request the parliament to suspend their MP status on December 17.
The ruling party has promised to accept repeat elections if a parliamentary investigation commission detects the rigging of even one per cent of votes. Photo: Archil Talakvadze's press office.
The opposition parties which have not requested the annulment of their party lists so far are as follows:
- Republicans (which is a part of the UNM election bloc)
- Aleko Elisashvili’s Citizens – 2 seats in parliament
- Girchi – 4 seats
- Alliance of Patriots – 4 seats
Eight opposition parties and election blocs which were voted in on the October 31 parliamentary elections say that the elections were fabricated and are demanding repeat elections.
Diplomatic corps are now mediating talks between the ruling party and the opposition to help the parties end the political crisis.
The ruling party says that no repeat elections will take place as the elections were held ‘in line with democratic standards.’
They say that the recent recognition of the mistake by ISFED NGO in its parallel vote count data is yet further evidence that no fabrication took place.
The head of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party Grigol Vashadze has stated that he has left the party and said that the presence of ‘odious figures’ in the party and attacks on the diplomatic corps and ‘other controversies’ pushed him to resign. Vashadze said in his Facebook post released earlier today that he has done his best as the head of the party since January 2017 to make the party stronger.
Five opposition parties and election blocs that were voted into parliament have submitted a request to Georgia’s Central Election Commission asking for their party lists to be annulled, meaning candidates on the lists would not be able to replace opposition MPs who will officially refuse to take up their mandates in parliament.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has promised that they will accept repeat elections if a temporary investigative commission created by the 10th convocation of the parliament of Georgia reveals that at least 1% of votes were rigged or falsified. Kobakhidze commented on other issues related to the parliament, noting that parties that do not take up their mandates in parliament will not receive budgetary funding and other benefits.
Nine of 14 political parties who received at least one per cent of votes in the October 31 parliamentary elections have sent a letter of consent to the country’s Central Election Commission to receive annual state funding.
The ruling Georgian Dream party and opposition members have responded to the decision of the head of the opposition United National Movement Grigol Vashadze to leave the party earlier today.
Thirty-six MPs of the United National Movement-Strength in Unity election bloc have officially asked parliament to suspend their status. They claim that the elections were fabricated by the ruling Georgian Dream party and state that they will continue to fight from the street to force the government hold repeat elections. The Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) annulled the party lists of five opposition parties earlier per their request yesterday, meaning candidates on the lists would not be able to replace opposition MPs who have officially refused to take up their mandates in parliament.