Opposition says ruling party supporters attacked, injured 2 in Dmanisi
Denying the accusations the ruling party members claim that the clash took place between the supporters of the opposition. Photo: Mtavari Arkhi TV/Twitter
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Acting Mayor of Dmanisi in Kvemo Kartli region Giorgi Tatuashvili says local members of the ruling Georgian Dream party attacked two opposition supporters during his election meeting in the village of Gantiadi earlier today.
Tatuashvili, who is the incumbent candidate from the united opposition, says the attackers injured members of his elections headquarters with a knife.
He also noted that the attackers were convicted of attacking opposition members during the 2020 parliamentary elections.
Tatuashvili does not trust the investigation because be claims the attack was organized by the State Security Service (SSS).
Georgian Dream activists and people who work for the SSS staged provocations during our meeting [with supporters] in the village of Gantiadi, which was followed by a clash”, he told journalists.
Member of the united opposition Kakha Okriashvili says the attackers include majoritarian candidate of the ruling party Mikheil Dautashvili and his son David.
The ruling party members deny the accusations. They instead claim that the clash took place between supporters of the opposition United National Movement - the party, which leads the united opposition.
Chairman of Dmansi City Council Merab Okriashvili has been attacked and injured earlier today, though police have yet to identify the attackers.
Opposition United National Movement member Dimitri Shashkin has been observed walking with a gun near the polling station in the Talaveri village of Bolnisi municipality earlier today. Shashkin, who admitted carrying the gun, said he is authorised by the interior ministry to do so. However, Shaskin said, he did not enter any polling stations.
The United National Movement opposition party has dismissed allegations that its members raided the ruling Georgian Dream party office in Dmanisi, Kvemo Kartli region, yesterday and attacked local members of the Georgian Dream.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has reported that its office in Dmanisi municipality in Kvemo Kartli region was raided by the opposition representatives. GD Executive Secretary Irakli Kobakhidze told Rustavi 2 TV that this was ‘a severe provocation’.
“The United States condemns the violent, seemingly politically motivated attacks which took place yesterday in Dmanisi and Rustavi”, the US Embassy in Georgia has announced.
The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party head Irakli Kobakhidze and the United National Movement (UNM) party leader Nika Melia have clashed near the office of the European Union Delegation to Georgia on Chavchavadze Avenue, Tbilisi earlier today after the ruling party finished its meeting with foreign diplomats. Kobakhidze stated that the main topic of the assembly was the election environment, noting that he cannot discuss the details of the meeting.
EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell has responded to the recent clash between the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party head Irakli Kobakhidze and the United National Movement (UNM) party leader Nika Melia and has urged ‘all sides to exercise restraint’ ahead of the local self-government elections. "Next week on election day, all Georgian voters should enjoy a peaceful environment, allowing them to exercise their democratic right by casting their ballots freely, safely and without fear of violence or intimidation,” Ambassador Hartzell stated.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has stated that the country’s foreign partners and diplomats ‘must be fair in their assessment of events’ following EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell’s response to a recent clash between the ruling party and opposition leaders. Hartzell urged ‘all sides to exercise restraint’ ahead of the municipal elections in response to the confrontation between the ruling GD party head Kobakhidze and the UNM party leader Melia.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) has reported earlier today that the cases of pressure, abuse and threat on the district and precinct election commission members have increased ahead of municipal elections. "In some cases, there has been an attempt by observers to overstep their authority to stage a provocation,” a spokesperson of the CEC Natia Ioseliani stated.
Misuse of administrative resources during the election process and politicisation of public institutions remain key challenges in the run up to local self-government elections to be held on October 2, Transparency International Georgia (TI Georgia) has reported.
Police have detained Luka Bidzinashvili, son of the Gori majoritarian candidate of the United National Movement opposition party for gender-based violence.
A total of 27 criminal cases related to the pre-election period of the October 2 municipal elections are under investigation in Georgia, the Interior Ministry has reported today.