Tbilisi (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The head of Georgia’s Central Electoral Commission was inundated with black paint at a session to confirm the results of the country’s divisive Oct 26 parliamentary elections.
Protesters assembled outside the commission’s building in Tbilisi, where officials reported that the ruling Georgian Dream party had succeeded 53.93% of the vote. Opposition supporters have denied the results amid allegations that the vote was falsified, an accusation that Georgian Dream denies.
The session was interrupted when David Kirtadze, a commission member from the opposition United National Movement party, tossed black paint at commission chairman Giorgi Kalandarishvili. Before the happening, Kirtadze told Kalandarishvili that the official results of the vote did not mirror voters’ “true choice.”
Kalandarishvili reacted by saying that the use of “pressure, bullying and personal insults” proved that there was no proof of vote rigging. When the session resumed, Kalandarishvili was caught with a bandaged eye. “It once again becomes evident that there is no tangible proof indicating that the elections were manipulated,” he said.
What role did Russian influence play in Georgia’s elections?
European election observers have characterised the Georgian parliamentary elections as taking place in a “divisive” atmosphere marked by illustrations of bribery, double voting and physical violence. Many Georgians considered the vote as a pivotal referendum on the country’s action to join the European Union. The bloc discontinued Georgia’s membership application process indefinitely in June after the country’s parliament enacted a “foreign influence law” that critics say mimics Moscow’s crackdown on civil society.
Critics have blamed the ruling Georgian Dream, founded by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a shadowy billionaire who made his wealth in Russia, for becoming increasingly authoritarian and leaning toward Moscow. It has recently adopted regulations similar to those utilised by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights.
President Salome Zourabichvili, who has denied the official results, states Georgia has fallen victim to force from Moscow against joining the European Union. Zourabichvili, who maintains a mostly ceremonial position, has advised the United States and EU to support the demonstrations. Officials in Washington and Brussels have insisted on a full investigation of the election, while the Kremlin has denied the accusations of interference.
