Georgia has announced plans to recount a portion of votes from the disputed parliamentary election, amidst calls from opposition parties for a comprehensive rerun with international supervision. The situation in Georgia, a key Black Sea state, was termed “very alarming” by the European Union.
Mass protests took place on Monday night in Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital city, following the announcement of official results. The ruling party, Georgian Dream, secured 54% of the vote in the election on Saturday. Four opposition parties, in comparison, secured a collective total of just 38%.
The opposition leaders voiced allegations of electoral fraud, involving rigging of votes, hooliganism and violence, portraying this as further proof of Georgian Dream’s march towards a form of autocracy seen in Russia and a strengthening affiliation with Moscow. Georgian Dream, in its defense, claims the election was untarnished and asserts its commitment to EU membership, charging the opposition and its purported western supporters of seeking to destabilise the country, which has a population of 3.7 million, and of encouraging strife with the Kremlin.
The central election commission revealed on Tuesday its decision to recount votes from around 14% of the nation’s polling stations randomly chosen. Salome Zourabichvili, the President of Georgia and a stern critic of the government, expressed her skepticism of the central electoral commission’s usefulness, and relayed her support for an international investigation.
The opposition has made clear their intent to boycott the reshaped parliament and has urged that the elections be under the control of global supervisors on any second attempt. Tina Bokuchava, the leader of the United National Movement, commented on the allegations, stating that when an election is completely compromised, the only plausible demand is for it to take place again, without any interference from the central election commission which is seen to be controlled by Georgian Dream.
Shalva Papuashvili, a prominent figure within the Georgian Dream party, confidently stated that the recent election was free of corruption and that the populace, numbering 1.12 million, had demonstrated their allegiance by voting for their key priorities, namely non-aggression towards Russia and economic advancement.
Papuashvili asserted that the citizens’ voting rights would not be usurped by anyone, reiterating the government’s role in safeguarding these rights and defending Georgia’s democratic choices, which he argued were unmistakable.
However, concerns have been raised by the European Union, which granted Georgia candidate status but subsequently suspended this due to concerning legislative changes. These included restrictive measures on LGBT+ rights, increased control over civil society organisations, and a surge in anti-western sentiment in the lead-up to the elections.
Josep Borrell, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, expressed serious concerns about the state of affairs in Georgia, citing reports from international monitors of violations both during the campaign and on the day of the election. These issues, he stressed, needed swift and independent resolution.
High-ranking EU representatives from multiple nations, including Ireland, have protested for an investigation into the alleged misconduct. Furthermore, Sweden has put a stop to its government’s direct interaction with Georgia, while Canada is reconsidering its relationship with Tbilisi.
Despite these murmurs of discontent, Georgian Dream has garnered the staunch backing of Viktor Orban, the nationalist prime minister of Hungary, who personally visited Tbilisi to praise the party. He commented on the dispute within European circles around the election, dismissing it as a typical narrative where liberal victories equate to democracy, but conservative wins indicate a lack of democracy.