Repeat elections, new election commission, special court: Salome Zourabichvili's crisis plan
Zourabichvili’s plan: resolving Georgia’s crisis
At a special briefing, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili stated that resolving the political crisis requires holding new parliamentary elections, preceded by amendments to the electoral code, the establishment of a new Central Election Commission, and the creation of a special court to address election disputes. According to Zourabichvili, all of this should be done with the support and involvement of international partners.
In addition, the president announced her intention to file a complaint with the Constitutional Court regarding violations of election secrecy and transparency. She clarified, however, that she does not trust the court to deliver a fair ruling, as “no institution in this country is independent anymore,” but the complaint will serve as a signal that no legal dispute should go unaddressed.
According to one of the opposition leaders, Giorgi Vashadze, the opposition fully supports the president’s position.
“These elections have been rejected both domestically and internationally, by the opposition and the president alike, and today Georgia is being governed by impostors. Therefore, our fight will continue until the end, so that you, the Georgian people, prevail,” Vashadze stated earlier at a protest in front of Tbilisi State University.
On October 26, parliamentary elections were held in Georgia, where the ruling party, Georgian Dream, reportedly secured 54% of the vote according to the Central Election Commission. This result is 12% higher than exit polls indicated. The opposition and civil society believe the election results were falsified and refuse to recognize the legitimacy of the new parliament. Protests have been ongoing in Tbilisi for several days. Meanwhile, international organizations are urging Georgian Dream to conduct a thorough investigation into possible electoral violations.
Zourabichvili’s plan: resolving Georgia’s crisis
