Mtavari Arkhi TV to suspend cooperation with Ipsos, file libel lawsuit
Mtavari Arkhi, which commissioned election polls from the international research company Ipsos, has suspended its cooperation with the latter. Photo: Mtavari Arkhi, Ipsos
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The opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi TV channel, which commissioned election polls from the international research company Ipsos, has suspended its cooperation with the latter.
Mtavari Arkhi’s general director, Nika Gvaramia, explained that Ipsos breached the contract by uploading pre-election results on its website which were different from the numbers they reported to Mtavari Arkhi.
Mtavari Arkhi presented Ipsos’ final pre-election poll on October 28, which showed that in mayoral run-off elections in the city of Zugdidi, the United National Movement’s (UNM) candidate Anzor Melia would win over the ruling Georgian Dream’s (GD) contender Mamuka Tsotseria.
However, the results published on Ipsos’ official website showed that Tsotseria would defeat Melia.
Survey results presented by Mtavari Arkhi:
Anzor Melia (UNM) - 54.7%
Mamuka Tsotseria (GD) - 45.3%
Decline to answer - 4.4%
Survey results on Ipsos’ official website:
Anzor Melia (UNM) - 49%
Mamuka Tsotseria (GD) - 51%
Gvaramia claims that Ipsos did not have the right to publish the survey results without the TV channel’s permission. He said that the research company will no longer conduct exit polls for the run-off municipal elections scheduled for October 30.
Gvaramia added that Mtavari Arkhi will file a libel lawsuit against Ipsos to ‘claim reputational damages.’
The discrepancy between the results presented by Mtavari Arkhi and those published by Ipsos were first revealed by GD member Shalva Papuashvili yesterday evening. He said that Mtavari Arkhi ‘manipulated’ the survey results.
Another GD member, Giorgi Khelashvili, noted that Mtavari Arkhi got into an ‘international scandal’ by ‘changing the survey results.’
Acting Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze disparaged the survey presented by Mtavari Arkhi as ‘fabricated silliness scribbled in Gvaramia’s cabinet.’
Kaladze maintained that GD candidates will win in ‘all districts where run-offs are held.’
Election polls commissioned by the opposition-oriented TV channel Mtavari Arkhi says that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) mayoral candidate and incumbent Kakha Kaladze will receive 51.6%, while Nika Melia from the United National Movement (UNM) will get 48.4% in municipal election run-offs in Tbilisi on October 30.
Political movement Droa leader Elene Khoshtaria and leader of the opposition Lelo for Georgia party Mamuka Khazaradze have signed a coalition cooperation document earlier today ahead of municipal election run-offs slated for October 30.
According to the final results of the first round in the race, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party received 46.74 per cent of the vote, the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party received 30.68 per cent of the vote while ex-PM Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party garnered 7.79 per cent of the vote.
Election polls commissioned by the opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi say the ruling Georgian Dream party will receive 25 per cent of votes in the upcoming October 31 parliamentary elections.
The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party head Irakli Kobakhidze has stated that the GD is winning in 18 out of 20 municipalities, saying that in the remaining two municipalities the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party is close to 50% threshold.
The Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC) has fined the opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi 112,000 GEL for airing three political ads beyond the pre-election period.