Georgian Dream alleges "mobilisation" by opposition supporters before polls close in municipal voting
Georgian Dream spokesperson Shalva Papuashvili reported alleged violations by opposition supporters and members outside polling stations on Saturday. Photo via Georgian Dream press office.
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A Georgian Dream press briefing hours before the closing of polling stations across Georgia alleged a "mobilisation" by opposition supporters at voting locations, while also claiming cases of "misinformation" around the voting process on Saturday.
Presenting an overall view of the election day by 6pm local time - with two hours to go in voting process - party spokesperson and MP Shalva Papuashvili said only nine incidents had been identified at polling stations across the country.
While the incidents had all been limited to "verbal altercations", the public relations representative of the ruling party told local media, he also claimed United National Movement opposition party supporters were "mobilising outside polling stations where they see they are losing the elections".
Papuashvili named UNM members allegedly gathering in Rustavi - the city outside Tbilisi where former party head and president Mikheil Saakashvili is in detention following his arrest on Friday upon returning to Georgia - as well as Dmanisi in Georgia's south.
The spokesperson also presented cases of violations outside polling stations he said the party had identified throughout the day, naming five cases of individuals recording voter data within 100 metres of stations and 10 cases of gatherings in the same vicinity, four examples of "unlawful agitation", and two examples of vote-buying.
The briefing named UNM and For Georgia as parties whose representatives allegedly took part in some of these violations, while also responding to opposition's allegations of violations by ruling party members. Papuashvili named the accusations, such as mobilisation of State Security Service in Dmanisi, and rejected them.
Both the ruling party and opposition have claimed advantage throughout the election day, with polling booths set to close at 8pm local time to conclude the municipal elections in the country.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili says that the ruling Georgian (GD) party is winning a ‘convincing victory’ in all municipalities in the elections and urged voters to actively participate in the race to ‘strengthen our victory.’ At a briefing earlier today Garibashvili said that ‘today we are able to finally defeat polarisation, destruction, hatred and lies in Georgian politics.’
The Georgian Interior Ministry says the public order is being maintained throughout the country to ensure that citizens can cast their ballot in free and safe environment. Ministry representative Natia Kovziashvili said at a news briefing that the ministry representatives are in close communication with the local and international non-government organisations as well as the Public Defender’s Office.
Head of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party Nika Melia, who is running for Tbilisi mayor, has stated that the opposition is winning the municipal elections and urged voters to actively participate in the race to ‘boost the difference’ in the votes received by the ruling party and the opposition.
A total of 1,160,413 voters (33.18 per cent of eligible voters) have cast their ballots in the Georgian municipal elections as of 3 p.m. today. Georgia’s Central Election Commission says that Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti is still the most active constituency where 47.5 per cent of registered voters have cast their vote.
Traffic on the Rikoti Highway today created difficulties for voters travelling from the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi to the regions or vice versa to cast their votes. The Roads Department of Georgia explains the reason for the restricted traffic was the collapse of a slope. The Roads Department announced that work is underway to restore movement in the shortest possible time.
An opposition Labour Party supporter has been allegedly stabbed at polling station No. 52 in Marneuli, Kvemo Kartli region. Eivaz Mamedov, 35, has been delivered to the hospital, Formula TV reports. The Labour Party member Ali Badirov accuses ruling Georgian Dream party supporter Gurkhan Ramazanov, in committing the offence.
The opposition United National Movement majoritarian candidate for Isani constituency Khatia Dekanoidze has posted on her Facebook page that the light went out in the biggest polling stations in the western Georgian city of Kutaisi.
Georgian Dream Ruling party chairperson Mamuka Mdinaradze has denied rumors about alleged bribe-taking cases at two polling station, claiming that family members handed over money to each other.