In Georgia the decision is made: where should we go? Towards the West or the Kremlin? A hot election day was expected in advance – rightly so, as it now turns out.
According to pro-European President Salome Zurabishvili, there was violence during the parliamentary elections in Georgia. “I would like to point out the deeply disturbing incidents of violence at various polling stations,” Zurabishvili said in online services on Saturday. Videos had previously been distributed on online networks showing violent confrontations occurring at several polling stations.
While an opposition alliance made up of several parties stands for a pro-Western course, the ruling Georgian Dream party is aligned with Russia. According to surveys, the pro-European opposition has a good chance of replacing the pro-Moscow ruling party.
Election management reports attempted manipulation
Meanwhile, reports of suspected election manipulation increased. In the small town of Marneuli in the southeast of the country, for example, a man threw in several ballot papers at a polling station and voting there was interrupted, the central electoral commission told the Interpressnews news agency. The results at the polling station would not be counted, it was said. The opposition and the government blamed each other for the incident.
The Young Lawyers Association also reported “significant election violations.” The opposition parties also shared footage of apparently clogged ballot boxes in the southeastern village of Sadachlo. “They are stuffing ballot boxes, harassing voters and beating observers,” said Tina Bokuchava, a leader of the main opposition party UNM, the pro-European United National Movement of jailed former President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Georgia is facing a fundamental decision
The parliamentary elections in Georgia are seen as groundbreaking. The government is taking an increasingly nationalist-conservative course and is orienting itself towards Russia. It is fueling fears that war would break out if the opposition wins the election. The opposition, on the other hand, wants to bring the country into the European Union. Georgia is a candidate for EU membership, but the process is on hold due to a series of recently passed restrictive laws.
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Voting ends at 8:00 p.m. (local time, 6:00 p.m. CEST). The counting results are expected to be published shortly afterwards. According to the latest poll by the US pollster Edison Research, 34 percent of voters support the Georgian Dream. The opposition forces together have a total of 53 percent of the votes.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
