Tbilisi mayor candidate from the United National Movement (UNM) Nika Melia and the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party members Beka Davituliani and Giorgi Amilakhvari have clashed at the polling station in Vazisubani district in Tbilisi earlier today due to a power outage at the spot.
Melia, who arrived at Vazisubani district after the power outage, was beaten while giving an interview.
During a verbal and physical confrontation, he stated that ‘electricity was deliberately cut off on the spot.’
Ruling party MP Davituliani called on Melia to leave the polling station territory, saying that ‘he has lost the elections.’
The ruling party head Irakli Kobakhidze has responded to the incident and said that ‘wherever is Melia, there is a provocation.’
I call on everyone, including our supporters, not to be provoked and not to react unhealthily to such provocations,” Kobakhidze said.
A physical confrontation took place in Georgian Zugdidi municipality as well earlier today where the GD mayoral candidate Mamuka Tsotseria accused the UNM supporters of staging provocations resulting in five individuals being arrested on the spot.
Georgia is holding municipal run-offs today in 20 of 64 election constituencies, including the five large cities of Georgia - Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, Batumi and Poti where a total of 2,088,722 voters are eligible to participate.
A total of 1,830 polling stations are open nationwide in Georgia.