Georgian PM highlights "unprecedentedly calm" campaign environment, says "manipulation excluded" in elections

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has described the campaign period for the October 26 general elections as "unprecedentedly calm”, pledging “any manipulations” were “excluded” in the vote due to the introduction of an “advanced” electronic voting system. 

Speaking to Imedi TV channel on Wednesday, the official claimed “there has never been such calm environment in any previous electoral season. There is nothing anyone can complain about regarding the Government's actions”.  

Hailing the introduction of “advanced voting technologies” for the vote, the official asserted “any form of electoral manipulation is impossible”. 

As for election day, there are such technologies implemented that practically, even if someone wanted to, any type of manipulation is absolutely impossible. There is electronic registration, voting, and counting”, he explained. 

The PM reassured voters the results would be “swiftly and transparently” published, pledging data from 91 percent of districts across the country would be published by 10 p.m., after the closure of polling stations at 8 p.m. 

In such circumstances, there is no justification left for anyone to discuss forgery. However, the groundwork is still being laid for this narrative. The decision to postpone the European Commission's conclusion [on Georgia’s progress on its European integration path] to October 30 indicates the supporters of our radical opposition do not anticipate a favourable outcome in the elections, as they recognise they will lose. Instead, they are focusing on the post-election period”, the official said. 

Reflecting on past elections, Kobakhidze pointed to the “accuracy” of the Government's predictions in previous votes, claiming the ruling party had “never misled voters”. He also commented on the potential  union of the Stong Georgia opposition coalition and Gakharia For Georgia opposition party, claiming it was a “strategic move as neither could surpass the electoral threshold on their own”.