Conservative and eurosceptic Georgian dream won Saturday's local government elections, obtaining over 1.1 million votes throughout the country. All his candidates for mayors won in their districts. In Tbilisi, the mayor of Kacha Kaladz, who had been in 2017, received 71.5 percent. votes. In 26 cases, the ruling party had no competition, and its candidates were to get 100 percent. votes.
The second place in the election was taken by the pro -European party strong Georgia – Lelo receiving 6.7 percent, while the third center -right grouping of the former prime minister of Giorgi Gachary for Georgia – 3.7 percent. Some of the pro -democratic, opposition parties boycotted the elections, fearing their falsification by the ruling party. Among them was the united National Movement of former President Micheil Saakashvili, who called his supporters to go to the streets.
Officially, the turnout was 40.93 percent. And it was lower than in previous local elections. The lowest turnout was recorded in the capital – in Tbilisi it voted 31.08 percent. entitled.
The election took place in 64 communes of Georgia. The Central Electoral Commission stated that they went calmly, without any mistakes. Meanwhile, opposition parties participating in the elections reported hundreds of shortcomings – said Echo Kaucazu (branch of Radio Swoboda).
Protests on the streets, power talks about “an attempt to overthrow the government”
Voting took place during a mass protest in Tbilisi, which ended with the arrest of five people. The police used water cannons and tear gas.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Iraqi Kobachiga and President Micheil Kawelszwili announced in separate messages that they would recognize Saturday riots as an “attempt to overthrow the government”, which, in their opinion, “Western forces” were to stand. In the opinion of the president, “Georgia held elections in accordance with the highest democratic standards.”
Then the Ministry of the Interior issued a warning that each civic assembly would be treated as “a continuation (…) attempts to overthrow the government.” This may mean that the services will use force to pacify protests.
Despite these warnings, Georgians went out on Sunday evening to the streets of Tbilisi in protest against the Georgian dream. Many had Georgian flags with them. This is the 312th day of uninterrupted anti -government protests in Rustustel Avenue, in front of the parliament building.
“Elections to local self -government bodies in Georgia took place in the atmosphere of universal suppression of dissident views,” we read in a statement issued jointly by the Vice -President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas and the EU Commission for the extension of Marta Kos. Politicians called all parties to refrain from violence and emphasized the importance of dialogue with the participation of all political parties and representatives of citizens.
The Georgian dream that has been ruling since 2012 from the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine is accused of striving to get closer with Moscow, including in connection with the adoption of the EU criticized act on “foreign agents”. The country's authorities also suspended the process of integration with the Union.
