Georgia, a republic strategically located in the heart of the Caucasus, plunged into political crisis on Sunday as the ruling party celebrated a pivotal election victory in which the pro-Western opposition declared it rigged and vowed to boycott the new parliament. Ta.
This precarious situation is a sign of the Georgian Dream, which has ruled Georgia for 12 years and is pushing it further and further away from its decades-old path of membership in NATO and the European Union, and the desire to continue moving Georgia forward in that direction. This further polarized the political struggle between four political groups aiming to West side.
The crisis is likely to push Georgia further away from the West. On Sunday, shortly after the results were announced, European observers condemned the conduct of the election.
Zlatko Vujovic, head of the European Network of Election Observers, said serious violations included violence against opposition members, intimidation of voters, smear campaigns targeting observers and widespread misuse of government resources. .
“It was not done in the proper way that you would expect from a candidate country for EU membership,” Vujovic told reporters. He described this election as “not good.”
The Georgia State Elections Authority, which oversees the country’s elections, reported on Sunday that the ruling party won nearly 54% of the vote, while the four main opposition parties received 37.5%. This means Georgian Dream could win up to 89 seats in parliament, with the remaining 61 seats going to the opposition.
The four opposition parties agreed that they do not recognize the election as legitimate due to serious violations. Both men said they would not enter parliament, setting the stage for a long political crisis. They provided no evidence for their claims.
Georgian President Salome Zurabichvili, the ceremonial head of state, spoke Sunday night, calling the election “a complete falsification and a complete theft of votes.”
“We have witnessed and become victims of a real special operation carried out by Russia,” Zurabichvili said in the presidential palace, surrounded by opposition leaders. “I was shocked,” he said.
She called on her supporters to hold a protest on Rustaveli Street, Tbilisi’s main thoroughfare, on Monday night. However, it was not clear how much support the opposition party’s statement actually received from the public. Since the election results were announced, the city’s streets have remained calm and there have been no large-scale protests.
Zurabichvili and opposition leaders did not provide concrete evidence to support their claims of mass violations during the vote, but they promised to do so.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán highlighted late Saturday the ties between East and West, congratulating Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Georgian Dream, saying: today! “
Orbán’s message was essentially a compliment to Georgia, which many feel is a step removed from the European Union, even though Hungary currently holds the rotating semi-annual EU presidency. It was uttered. Although this is primarily an administrative role, holders typically use it to represent their interests and value in the block.
Local news website Agenda.ge reported that Orbán, a defender of “illiberal democracy,” arrived in Georgia on Monday and planned a two-day visit with the Georgian government.
Georgia’s last parliamentary elections ended in a similar scenario to the elections that unfolded last weekend, with the opposition refusing to accept the official results. The crisis lasted more than five months, with the ruling and opposition parties reaching an agreement brokered by European Union officials.
This time, however, the ruling party appears determined to press ahead with what it claims is a mandate from the people, and is unlikely to welcome European mediation.
Prime Minister Kobakhidze told a press conference on Sunday that the elections were held “perfectly”.
“Our victory is impressive and clear. Any attempt to discuss electronic voting or manipulation in an unprecedented electoral climate is bound to fail,” Kobakhidze said, adding that opposition members were not allowed to enter parliament. He added that the new parliament will operate regardless of participation. do not have.
Local election monitoring group ISFED said in a statement on Sunday that while parallel voter counts were “consistent” with official results, “the pre-election and polling day processes are fundamentally flawed and “It affected their ability to express their free choices.” ”
The leaders of Georgia’s neighbors in the South Caucasus, Armenia and Azerbaijan, celebrated the Georgian dream. Russian lawmakers and officials also praised the results.
