Opposition, civic activists hold rallies in Georgia in front of district election commissions

Opposition members and activists held rallies outside district commissions yesterday, where complaints about the elections are being considered.

Rallies have been held in the districts of Tbilisi – Gldani, Isani, Saburtalo, Samgori – as well as in the western cities of Tskhaltubo and Batumi.  

Opposition protesters demanded to be present at the hearings, which was not allowed by the law enforcement officers mobilised on site.

A clash broke out between law enforcement officers and protesters near the Saburtalo District Commission [central Tbilisi].

During the clash, three members of the United Georgia party were detained. 

The founder of the Citizens party, Aleko Elisashvili, was injured.

“By law, I have the right to enter and be present. ‘We don’t recognize you’, I was told. They lie, of course, and deceive themselves. How have they still been unable [to make it look as if there is no problem with the number of votes compared to the number of registered voters]? This is the 21st century – take a calculator and count. This isn’t the Stone Age, right?”, Aleko Elisashvili said, who ran in Saburtalo.

There was also tension in Batumi, where a shop window was smashed and a member of the National Movement, Georgy Kirtadze, was wounded.

“Opposition leader Giorgi Kirtadze, a majoritarian candidate in Batumi, was wounded and fortunately survived. We will not stop because the votes are stolen, we will defend our rights at the cost of our lives. We are not going to disperse, we demand to hold early parliamentary elections immediately,” said one of the protesters.

The epicenter of tension is the Isani District, where Khatia Dekanoidze from the United National Movement ran. 

According to her, ballots disappeared at the 81st polling station. 

“We came to protest.  Our representatives were present inside and did not see any complaints being considered.  These forgers, these slaves of Bidzina raise their hands for the sake of formality, they verbally and physically insulted my representative,” Khatia Dekanoidze said.

Isani police arrested several activists.  The arrest was preceded by another confrontation between the police and protesters.

The activists demanded to enter the building of the election commission and be present at the examination of complaints, but the police did not allow them to do so.

“Bidzina Ivanishvili, this merciless fraud you committed during the parliamentary elections in Georgia will cost you dearly,” said Nino Burjanadze, leader of United Georgia, outside the police station where her party members are being held.

As for the leader of the pro-Russian Alliance of Patriots Party (the party is also not going to enter parliament, like other opposition parties), Irma Inashvili addressed Bidzina Ivanishvili on Pirveli TV channel:

“To tell the truth, I did not expect Bidzina Ivanishvili to turn out to be such an unjust person. I have never seen a more unfair person in my life than Bidzina Ivanishvili, and I am very saddened by this discovery,” said Irma Inashvili.

Authorities also respond to protests

 According to Mamuka Mdinaradze, one of the leaders of the Georgian Dream, a recount in the figures in Saburtalo may prove that the original figures were counted to the detriment of the Georgian Dream.

Former parliamentary speaker Irakli Kobakhidze argues that these rallies prove that the real aim of these politicians is to clarify anything at all: 

“On the contrary, they are afraid of explanations, because the vote count will confirm the results that the CEC eventually recorded. It turns out that what they were protesting was a complete farce. That is why they are carrying out the destruction, which proves once again that the elections really passed properly and the explanations, of course, will show all this,” Kobakhidze said.

Currently, according to the CEC, the official results are as follows:

 1. The ruling Georgian Dream party – 48.24%

 2. United National Movement – United Opposition – 27.15%

 3. European Georgia – 3.79%

 4. Alliance of Patriots – 3.14%

 5. Lelo – 3.16%

 6. Strategy of Agmashenebeli – 3.15%

 7. Girchi – 2.89%

 8. Citizens – Aleko Elisashvili – 1.33%