The recent legislative elections in Georgia, characterized by the victory of the ruling party, have been the subject of strong controversy by the pro-Western opposition, which denounced them as “falsified”. International observers have reported that the electoral process was marked by “pressure” on voters and by unfavorable conditions for opposition parties. According to the assessments of experts from the OSCE, NATO and European institutions, the vote was characterized by inequalities among candidates and a climate of tension.
Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, has officially announced its victory. With more than 99 percent of the votes counted, it received 54.2 percent of the vote, according to the election authority. Opposition parties have already contested the preliminary results, calling them fraudulent.
The Central Election Commission said that the analysis of votes from 3,100 out of a total of 3,111 polling stations confirmed that Georgian Dream won 54.08%. The other four opposition parties that passed the 5% threshold were: Coalition for Change with 10.92%, United National Movement with 10.12%, Strong Georgia with 8.72% and For Georgia with 7.76%.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has rejected opposition allegations of fraud in the election won by his party. He said such claims were merely an attempt to justify a political failure. “It is technically impossible to carry out any manipulation when using electronic voting systems,” Kobakhidze said. Regarding possible demonstrations against the election results, the prime minister said that “the opposition does not have the resources to organize protests,” adding that the first session of the new parliament will take place soon and that the country’s normal activities will continue.
Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the Estonian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, expressed concern over the situation in Georgia, saying that the apparent falsification of the results made it difficult to recognize their legitimacy. He warned that fraud would prevent accession to the European Union and instead risk greater dependence on Russia.
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