Tbilisi, Georgia CNN —
In a dramatic show of unity, Georgia’s often-divided opposition gathered at the presidential palace in Tbilisi, standing shoulder to shoulder behind President Salome Zurabichvili and challenging: “I will not recognize these elections.” declared. Recognizing them would be tantamount to justifying Russia’s takeover of Georgia…We cannot abandon Europe’s future for future generations. ”
She said the government, controlled by the ruling Georgian Dream party, was “illegitimate” and that the October 26 election was a “complete falsification”.
She spoke up and said, “We were not only witnesses, but also victims of what can only be described as Russian special operations. This was carried out against our people and our country.” “This is a new form of hybrid warfare.”
She called on Georgians to gather in protest on the capital’s main thoroughfare, Rustaveli Street, on Monday night to “peacefully protect every vote and, most importantly, our future.”
The statement was a bold challenge to the reclusive billionaire oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder and current honorary chairman of Georgian Dream. Bidzina Ivanishvili claimed victory in the parliamentary elections even before all votes were counted.
Mr. Ivanishvili had vowed to ban opposition forces if his party won the election, but opponents have taken him at his word.
Many Georgians harbor deep animosity toward Russia, which invaded Georgia in 2008 and occupies about 20% of Georgia’s internationally recognized territory (about the same proportion as Ukraine). Despite Russia’s recent invasion of Georgia, Georgian Dream has long been accused of harboring pro-Russian sympathies, and Ivanishvili made his fortune in the Soviet Union.
As Georgians cast their votes on Saturday, thousands of election observers from Georgia and abroad fanned out to voting precincts across the country, from urban centers to poor remote villages in the Caucasus Mountains, to question whether the vote was free and fair. I tried to evaluate it.
Videos of violations, some of them egregious, went viral throughout Election Day, including a man daringly stuffing ballots into a ballot box.
The following day, at a press conference by the International Republican Association and the National Democratic Association, the conclusions were alarming. “Organized” intimidation. Harassment of voters inside and outside of polling places. “Widespread intimidation and pressure on public servants and social welfare recipients.”
The observations of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) were even more stark. “On election day, ISFED documented serious violations including ballot stuffing, multiple voting, unprecedented levels of voter bribery, and the expulsion of observers from polling stations. Examples include mobilizing voters, collecting personal data, and managing voting intentions.
In Tbilisi, former US congressman John Shimkus said intimidation and harassment of voters had created an “atmosphere of fear”.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also acknowledged “reports of irregularities and sporadic violence” by election observers.
“We condemn all violations of international norms and join calls from international and local observers for a full investigation into all reports of election-related violations,” Blinken said. He called on leaders to “work together to address the flaws in the electoral process.”
“The government’s continued harassment and intimidation of voters and civil society, not only during the election period but also long before it, threatens the foundations of Georgia’s democracy,” said Swedish lawmaker Margareta Soderfelt. he added.
Georgia’s opposition parties have found new unity thanks to the efforts of President Zurabichvili, whom they once criticized but now respect.
Opposition politician Nika Gbaramia said: “She is on the right side of history.” “She is the only one who can unite people.”
“Russia (Georgia’s) ) hacked the election.”
They argued that Moscow was waging a “hybrid war” using new and different means of technological intervention, which was straight out of “Putin’s strategy.”
The West isn’t even catching up, they say.
Meanwhile, the Georgian government announced that its first high-level visitor after the election will be Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who will use October 28 and 29 as a high-profile display of support for the Georgian Dream government. I plan to spend it.
The illiberal leader found common cause with Georgia’s ruling party and became the first international leader to congratulate them after the election, even before votes were officially counted.
This story has been updated with additional information.
