Interior ministry: 8 cases under investigation, one person arrested over alleged violations at polling stations
The ministry briefed reporters as polling stations across the countries closed at 8pm local time. Photo: Nino Alavidze/agenda.ge.
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Eight cases of alleged violations and breaking of law are under investigation by the interior ministry, with one individual arrested, as clashes at or outside polling stations across Georgia have been reported on municipal runoff day.
The ministry briefed reporters as the polls closed in the evening on Saturday, revealing alleged confrontations against reporters, party members and citizens, as well as alleged violations of election regulations.
Detailing incidents at and outside polling stations, spokesperson Ketevan Kovziashvili reported on investigations into alleged assaults on reporters in the central Georgian city of Kareli, western cities of Poti and Senaki, as well as the Gonio resort, also in the west.
Representatives of both the ruling party and opposition parties have been involved in committing violations of law in these cases [reported by the ministry]
- Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia
The ministry briefing also mentioned alleged threats against life of a United National Movement opposition party in Senaki, and injuries caused to a citizen following an altercation that was caused by a confrontation over an alleged recording of the exit of a polling station from a vehicle garage in Tbilisi.
In other incidents, physical confrontation in the western city of Zugdidi, and arrests made by police for refusal to comply with their demands by citizens in Zugdidi and Rustavi - the latter outside capital Tbilisi - were mentioned by the ministry spokesperson.
The cases were rounded off by alleged violations of the regulation that outlaws gatherings or recording of personal data in a 100-metre radius around polling stations, deployment of agitational material within 25 metres of the polling locations, and other administrative irregularities.
Local self-government election runoffs were held today in 20 of 64 election constituencies, including the five large cities of Georgia - Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, Batumi and Poti. The day has been marked by repeated clashes and confrontations involving party members and activists outside polling stations.
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.
The Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) says that 97 complaints have been presented on voting procedures by 40 observers and 57 representatives of political parties in today’s municipal election run-offs.
MP Ani Tsitlidze from the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party has been escorted by the police out of Zugdidi’s 21st polling station. The incident reportedly took place after the UNM’s election commission member, two journalists, and an NGO representative got kicked out of the station.
The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics and Coalition for Media Advocacy have called on the ruling Georgian Dream party not to encourage violence against journalists.
The results of exit commissioned by Imedi TV from Gorbi and by opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi channel from Anova have been released following the closure of polling stations in Georgia in the municipal election run-offs. The exit polls offer differing pictures of the results.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has said that according to the preliminary results, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party has won the run-off municipal elections in all municipalities. After the announcement of exit poll results commissioned by Imedi TV, Garibashvili congratulated incumbent Tbilisi mayor Kakha Kaladze and other GD candidates on winning the mayoral run-offs.
An investigation is underway into the case of a physical assault of Nika Melia, Tbilisi mayor candidate from the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party, to find out the attacker.
Georgia's Central Election Commission has reported a 49.09 percent turnout for the municipal election runoff in the country on Saturday, as the body is expected to release its preliminary results for the voting during the night between Saturday and Sunday.
The Central Election Commission has reported 219 formal complaints from the election runoff voting by 11pm on Saturday, most of them "procedural" violations.