Play by play of Georgian parliamentary elections - photo, video

Four different exit polls were conducted today:

By opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi and Formula,

And by pro-government channels Imedi and Rustavi 2.

The results are here:

• Four exit polls, two realities as Georgian parliamentary elections end

Up to 130 minor and relatively serious violations were recorded during the day, said Eka Gigauri, head of Transparency International.

This is significantly more than during the presidential elections in 2018 and the parliamentary elections in 2016.

Basically, the violations were as follows:

• Physical confrontation and obstruction of the activities of a journalist

• Attack on a journalist

• Expulsion of observers

• Violation of the secrecy of voting

1,607,530 people have voted in today’s elections in Georgia as of 15:00 across the country.

Aggressive prisoners in the Ksani prison (near Tbilisi), who were considered low-threat, attacked representatives of the Ombudsman’s office.

Human rights defenders were in the prison building and talked with prisoners in private to find out about the general situation in the prison, as well as to find out if any pressure was exerted on their choice in voting.

However, these conversations were interrupted by two “controllers” who shouted loudly, including to other prisoners, that “since 2012 everything is in order in the penitentiary system.” In 2012, the government changed in Georgia, and the Georgian Dream came to power.

Public Defender Nino Lomjaria is preparing a special statement on the impact of the criminal underworld in prisons.

1,279,947 people have voted in today’s elections in Georgia as of 15:00 across the country.

Photo: JAMnews/David Pipia

Salome Samadashvili, a spokeswoman for the United National Movement opposition party, said she had been threatened by several people from a crowd gathered near polling station No. 39 in the Gldani district of Tbilisi.

“I was told that Saakashvili’s supporters had ‘nothing to do here’ and they advised me to ‘be smart’ and leave,” she told reporters.

There are many people near this and several other sites and there are reports that journalists are being prevented from working.

Former Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili is the founder of the opposition National Movement party. In all polls prior to the elections, the party ranked second after the ruling Georgian Dream party and is considered the leading opposition force in Georgia.

Addressing voters, Saakashvili said that “a very important historical moment has come, it is important to bring it to the end and then all together begin to build a new Georgian state.”

A fight broke out at polling station No. 44, between supporters of the opposition and the ruling party.

Several people were arrested. Among them is Irakli Edzgveradze, a spokesman for Nika Melia’s headquarters, who is the majoritarian candidate from the united opposition in the Gldani region.

The united opposition has received permission from the mayor’s office to hold a rally and is urging its supporters to come to the parliament building at 19:00 to listen and discuss together the results of the exit polls, which will be announced at 20:00.

Large screens and speakers are installed in front of the parliament, as well as barriers.

Photo: JAMnews/David Pipia

This was reported by the organization “For Fair Elections and Democracy” (ISFED) – its representative noticed a camera at polling station number 1 in Rustavi.

As soon as the camera was pointed out, polling station staff moved it to another location.

By 12 o’clock, 681,583 people had voted.

The highest activity is still in the Racha-Lechkhumi and Svaneti regions with 28 percent turnout, while the lowest is in Adjara, with 17.9 percent.

Photo: Tbilisi, October 31, 2020. JAMnews/David Pipia

Representatives of the opposition parties European Georgia and Agmashenebeli’s Strategy tried to steal a mobile ballot box in the city of Bolnisi (Kvemo Kartli region), said Irakli Kobakhidze, executive secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party.

He claims that the incident took place at the 55th polling station in Bolnisi, involving Arzuman Khasiev from European Georgia and majoritarian candidate Elimdar Miriev.

Kobakhidze also says that “the opposition has mobilized ‘sonderkommando’ teams in certain regions of the country, including Bolnisi”:

“[Opposition politician] Dimitri Shashkin is demonstratively walking about with a pistol. We warn that any attempt at destabilization will be punished in accordance with the law.”

The highest turnout rates in Racha-Lechkhumi and Svaneti (11.8%).

Lowest turnout has been in Adjara, with 7.3%.

Photo: Tbilisi, October 31, 2020. JAMnews/David Pipia

This was reported by the Young Lawyers Association (GYLA), which keeps a record of submitted complaints.

The majority of these violations were procedural, i.e. not allowing observers to enter polling stations or committing procedural violations when issuing ballots.

In general, polling stations opened on time, without significant violations, the GYLA reports.

This was announced at a briefing at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Fears about provocations were expressed by the executive secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party Irakli Kobakhidze.

Voting is so far taking place in a calm atmosphere, Kobakhidze said.

A small clash took place at polling station No. 5 in Marneuli (Kvemo Kartli region, 40 minutes south of Tbilisi), and the polling station suspended work for several minutes.

Lasha Kveladze, a spokesman for the opposition United National Movement (created by ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili), said that party observers were not allowed in to observe voter registration.
Ana Iluridze, chairman of the district electoral commission, said that the problem arose because of the noise generated by a large number of journalists at the polling station.
Marneuli is traditionally a hot spot in all elections in Georgia, so many Georgian media have sent their correspondents here.

US Ambassador Kelly Degnan told reporters who arrived at the Central Election Commission at 9 am that “the elections are very important for Georgia. The main thing is a calm environment and free choice,” she said.

Bidzina Ivanishvili came to vote with his wife.

Leaving the polling station, he told reporters: no coalition is needed, “the majority of the population has universal human values, and therefore the Georgian Dream will win again.”

Voting has begun in Georgia and will last until 20:00 pm.

• There are 3,526,023 registered voters for these elections

• The new parliament of Georgia will have 30 majoritarian spots, while earlier there were 73.

• 50 subjects are participating in the elections – 48 political parties and two electoral blocs.

• 33,657 polling stations have opened throughout the country. 127 polling stations have been created for those voters who are in quarantine or self-isolation.

• 52 polling stations were opened abroad in 38 countries of the world. Including 2 sites opened in Afghanistan.

• The elections will be observed by 132 local organizations, which mobilized a total of 46,981 observers. Also, 910 foreign observers have arrived to monitor the election process.

• 118 media outlets were accredited for the elections, with a total of 5,971 journalists.