A court in the central Georgian city of Gori on November 6 rejected a petition by election monitors calling for the annulment of results in several election precincts in the city where violations of the vote’s confidentiality were observed during the October 26 parliamentary election.
Day: November 6, 2024
A journalistic investigation by opposition-leaning TV Pirveli uncovered an alleged vote-rigging methods involving alleged cases of vote-buying, voter pressure and voter intimidation through complex networks of “call centers” and dubious observer missions linked to the ruling party.
The bombshell investigative piece, prepared by the crew of Nodar Meladze’s Saturday, a TV Pirveli program, pointed to various schemes that the ruling Georgian Dream party allegedly used to rig the 2024 parliamentary elections. Below are the main findings of the piece, which first aired on TV on November 3, about a week after the crucial vote.
“Call Centers”
According to the investigation, Georgian Dream used a large and complex system of “call centers” to mobilize voters on election day. Citing “over a thousand” leaked files, audio recordings, photos, chats, and software data as evidence, the piece alleges a scheme of three thousand “call centers,” each assigned to every polling station across Georgia and located in specially rented secret offices near the respective precincts, including in school buildings or community kitchens for the socially vulnerable.
Each call center reportedly consisted of at least four members – two call center operators, a computer operator, and a leader – the so-called “captain” – who was responsible for receiving instructions from the party and updating higher-level coordinators. The mission of each call center was allegedly to mobilize voters to go to the polls and vote for the GD through “responsible persons” – those who directly contacted voters to get them to the polls.
The investigative piece showed photos allegedly from some of these call centers, as well as what the piece said were leaked lists of call centers, their addresses, and captains. It also aired audio recordings of various unidentified instructors allegedly ordering call centers to intensify their mobilizing efforts throughout election day. The TV Pirveli crew says it also gained access to the software used by the call centers, which allegedly contained the data of some 6,000 captains, was monitored by party headquarters, and required call center operators to enter the data of those who had already gone to the polls and voted for the GD.
According to the investigation, the party, possibly with the help of other state agencies, illegally obtained and processed the personal data of voters and may have even attached unique numbers to each registered voter. The party then allegedly provided captains with voter lists that also identified “responsible persons.” The investigative piece shows TV Pirveli crew arriving at some of the destinations where GD call centers were allegedly located. The video shows individuals, identified by the station as neighbors, confirming that they saw ruling party MPs hanging out there, or commenting that they were aware that party representatives were on the premises on election day.
The piece identifies lawyer Aleksandre Kobaidze as one of the “captains”. An audio recording of a phone call is played in the piece, and a man identified as Kobaidze confirms that he was involved in the mobilization scheme. Citing other audio recordings, the investigative authors say that those involved in the scheme were paid in cash.
Carousels
TV Pirveli’s investigation also looked into some of the documented cases of possible carousel voting. The channel crew tried to trace some of the people who were identified as being involved in the alleged scheme of trying to cast their vote multiple times or voting for someone else, either by using someone else’s ID card or by inserting different ID numbers in their travel passports as a note. (According to the alleged scheme, GD-loyal registrars allowed such individuals to vote in someone else’s name and facilitated the process).
The TV story shows the crew trying to track down Maia Naveriani, a Marneuli City Hall employee who was allegedly involved in a scheme as a district commission member and ruling party-loyal registrar. The video shows Naveriani’s colleagues telling the crew that Naveriani has a day off, while a man identified as Naveriani’s husband says she went shopping. The same man is then seen making death threats to the crew of TV Pirveli (Georgian Dream won 79.6 percent of the vote in the Marneuli municipality of the Kvemo Kartli region).
The investigation also tracked down a woman in Keshalo, a village in Marneuli municipality, whose ID was allegedly used by another woman to cast a ballot. Later, looking at the footage of the woman in question, the observer who suspected the mismatch claims to TV Pirveli that this is a different woman from the one who tried to vote with her ID.
In another episode, the TV crew finds a woman who is suspected of trying to vote three times, including twice at a polling station and once at home with a mobile ballot box, which is brought to those who cannot get to the polling station due to health reasons. The investigation finds that the woman is a public kindergarten employees, shows her video, argues that she looks fit enough, and questions how she landed on the mobile ballot box list.
Party-Affiliated Watchdogs
Another part of the investigative piece looks at the dubious election monitoring missions, who are allegedly affiliated with the ruling party and use their mandate to interfere in the vote.
These included the Observer of Politics and Law, headed by Eka Agladze, which deployed 2,645 observers, and the International Observatory for Barristers and Lawyers, headed by Grigol Gagnidze – Agladze’s husband – which deployed 2,491 observers. (By comparison, the largest independent local mission, My Vote, deployed 2,000 observers on election day, while the main Georgian election monitoring group, the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), had mobilized some 1,500 observers). Other such dubious monitoring groups included the Khashuri Women Entrepreneur Union, led by Nana Sharashidze, which deployed 386 observers, and the Khoni IDP Initiative Group, led by Zaza Kalandia, which deployed 308 observers. TV Pirveli identified the latter as being one of the first to voluntarily register with Georgia’s Foreign Agents Register.
Using various election day footage recorded by local observers and media as evidence, TV Pirveli’s investigation suggests that representatives of such watchdogs were actively involved in voter pressure and carousel schemes. This included hanging out with neighborhood gangs inside and outside polling stations, sometimes following voters to the polling station and even into the voting booth with the suspected aim of influencing their voting behavior, or filtering out potential opposition voters and even preventing them from entering the polling station.
- 04/11/2021 – Georgia’s Obscure Election Watchdogs
Another suspected goal of such watchdogs was to create chaos and distract observers so that those involved in alleged carousel schemes could get away with casting a vote for someone else. Some of the individuals wearing the badges of such watchdogs were seen acting aggressively toward journalists, while others were observed outside precincts with lists that the station said looked like vote-buying operations.
In an interview with TV Pirveli, Gagnidze, who heads the International Observatory for Barristers and Lawyers, was unable to confirm that thousands of people registered with his organization as observers had actually undergone the required training, suggesting instead that the organization had recruited those with prior experience in election procedures. The investigative piece states that the station was able to obtain copies of observer passes from these missions, with civil servants also registered as observers. The piece then shows one such civil servant at first denying her involvement as an observer, but then half-confirming it when shown an observer pass with her name on it.
Another episode shows Nana Sharashidze, head of the mission of the Khashuri Women Entrepreneurs Union, chasing away the TV crew with a log. The crew said that among those registered as observers with Sharashidze’s watchdog was the governor of Tbilisi’s Krtsanisi district, Beka Mikautadze.
Vote Buying Confessions
A separate part of the investigation shows the TV crew traveling to various remote villages in Georgia’s Samtskhe-Javakheti region and pretending to be Georgian Dream representatives while secretly video-recording to identify possible vote-buying schemes. These included villages in Ninotsminda municipality (Aspara, Sameba villages), where Georgian Dream received a whopping 88.2% of the vote, and in Akhalkalaki municipality (Didi Samsari, Ikhtila, Trikna villages), where GD received 87.8% of the vote.
Some of these videos show families confessing that they were given between 100-200 GEL ($35-$70) either to vote for Georgian Dream or to hand over their passports. Another video shows a man, identified by TV Pirveli as a local shepherd, saying that locals who left the area and now live in Armenia were bussed there to vote on election day.
The piece also shows various people in these villages – including a woman identified as a member of the local commission – admitting that those who are registered there as voters but live elsewhere, such as women who moved after getting married, have simply sent in their passport or ID numbers for elections.
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Georgia’s crucial parliamentary elections to elect the 150-member legislature took place on October 26. The vote followed months of anti-democratic and anti-Western drift by the ruling Georgian Dream party, leading pro-Western Georgians to bill it as a “referendum” on the country’s choice between Russia and Europe. These were the first fully-proportional elections in Georgia, as well as the first electronic elections, with about 90% of voters casting their ballots through electronic machines installed at polling stations. The 5% election threshold prompted parties to run in coalitions, and the four strongest opposition contenders signed the President’s Georgian Charter providing for a pro-EU technocratic rule (Read more about the odds and the context of the elections Here).
The main contenders with the best chance of passing the threshold included: (41) Georgian Dream (current ruling party); (5) Unity – to Save Georgia (United National Movement + Strategy Agmashenebeli); (4) Coalition for Change, (Ahali+Girchi – More Freedom+Droa); (9) Strong Georgia (Lelo for Georgia + For People + Citizens + Freedom Square); and (25) For Georgia (led by ex GD Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia).
Official Results of 2024 Parliamentary Elections: Interactive Map
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Wednesday, November 6
11:00 – Another Rally is Being Held in Front of Court of Appeals
Another rally takes place in front of the Tbilisi Court of Appeal, while in the court there is a hearing on the cases of violation of the secrecy of the vote. While people are gathering near the court, the court yard is filled with representatives of the criminal police of the Ministry of Interior.
Tuesday, November 5
21:37 – Mtavari TV Co-founder Summoned to the SSSG
Opposition-leaning Mtavari TV co-founder Giorgi Rurua has been summoned to the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) as a witness in an investigation under two articles of the Criminal Code: Part One Article 315 (conspiracy or rebellion with the aim of changing the constitutional order of Georgia by force) and Part One Article 323 (act of terrorism). Rurua’s lawyer told Interpressnews that he will not go to the SSSG for questioning and will only be a witness before a magistrate judge.
17:00 – Opposition-led Protest Held at Tbilisi Court of Appeals
The opposition-led protest began today at the Tbilisi Court of Appeals. Police were mobilized at the site. Soon after, the protesters marched to the Didube district. The non-stop protests are expected to spread throughout the capital and the country.
One of the opposition leaders, Giorgi Vashadze, announced that tomorrow’s protest would be held in the same place. The Tbilisi Court of Appeals is scheduled to consider tomorrow the GYLA’s appeals against the annulment of the votes from all the precincts where elections were held using electronic equipment.
15:00 – Courts of Appeal to Hear GYLA Complaints
According to the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, which is seeking the annulment of votes from all machine-voted precincts, the Tbilisi Court of Appeal has consolidated all of its appeals from eastern Georgia and will hear them tomorrow, November 6, at 14:00 local time, while the Kutaisi Court of Appeal has also consolidated the GYLA’s appeals from western Georgia and will hear them today, November 5, at 16:00.
So far, only one judge of the Tetritskaro Municipality has set a precedent by confirming that the secrecy of the ballot had been violated during the elections, thus nullifying the results of 30 precincts.
13:30 – Gakharia-For Georgia Warns Prosecutor’s Office May Erase Key Evidence of Election Fraud
Giorgi Gakharia’s opposition party, For Georgia, issued a statement claiming that the Prosecutor’s Office could erase “essential evidence” of election fraud by seizing voter verification machines.
“The court has dismissed our urgent appeal to safeguard the data stored on CEC servers and withing voting machines, while the Prosecutor’s Office, under the guise of a fabricated investigation, is maneuvering to seize control of the verification devices,” the party’s statement reads.
The party notes that the verification devices and the data they contain are likely to be pivotal evidence of systemic fraud. “This is precisely why the Prosecutor’s Office is attempting to seize these devices under a sham investigation, effectively holding both the evidence and the entire truth-seeking process hostage,” the statement says.
12:20 – Coalition for Change Leader Summoned to the Prosecutor’s Office
One of the leaders of the Coalition for Change, Zurab Japaridze was summoned to the Prosecutor General’s Office for questioning regarding the evidence he has about the election fraud. According to the media reports, he is expected there on November 6 at 13:00. He is not planning to go to the Prosecutor’s Office and will present evidence only to Magistrate Judge.
11:56 – Strong Georgia Leader Summoned to the Prosecutor’s Office
One of the leaders of the coalition “Strong Georgia”, Mamuka Khazaradze, was summoned to the Prosecutor General’s Office for questioning regarding the evidence he has about the election fraud. He said that he wouldn’t go to the prosecutor’s office and would present the evidence he had collected only to a Magistrate Judge.
11:46 – Iranian President Congratulates Georgian Dream on its Victory in Elections
Iranian Embassy shared Iranian President’s, Masoud Pezeshkian congratulatory message sent to the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Georgian Dream’s declared victory in elections. President Pezeshkian expressed hope that this elections, “which was the expression of Georgian people’s will”, will become the starting point for the “progress and well-being” of the Georgian people, the strengthening of the relationship between the two countries, and the development of cooperation between the countries of the region.
11:46 – Opposition Gathers at CEC to Dicuss New Elections
Representatives of the opposition parties gather at the Central Election Commission office for a working meeting to discuss new elections and future plans of action. CEC opposition member Giorgi Sioridze told journalists that the meeting is being held to plan “appropriate procedural steps”. He said that yesterday’s court decisions proved that the results had to be annulled in precincts where 90% of the voters were concentrated and where voting technology was used.
11:44 – Secrecy of the Ballot Appeals Postponed in Kutaisi and Tbilisi Courts of Appeals
According to Nona Kurdovanidze, the Chairperson of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, the sessions scheduled for today in the Tbilisi and Kutaisi Court of Appeals on the appeals written on the violation of the secrecy of the ballot have been postponed. She reported that all the appeals in the Kutaisi court had been grouped together in an apparently deliberate attempt to limit the number of judges deliberating on the cases and to minimize the chances that any judge would take a decision similar to the Tetritskaro court’s decision. The case will be considered today at 16:00. It is not yet known whether the appeals in the Tbilisi court will also be consolidated or heard separately.
Monday, November 4
23:15 – The court of Gori satisfies ISFED claim on recounting of invalid ballots in 15 precincts
The court of Gori satisfied the claim of ISFED for recounting of invalid ballots in 15 precincts – the decision was made by Judge Nino Gergauli.
22:30 – Former Ombudsperson Calls on People to Rally in front of Appeals Court
Former Public Defender of Georgia and founder of the Georgia’s European Orbit platform, Nino Lomjaria, called on people to rally in front of the Court of Appeals with demands to check all ballots in precincts where voting was conducted electronically and annul the results of the precincts where complaints were written by local observers.
22:30 – Judge Vladimer Khuchua Confirms Secrecy of Vote was Violated
Judge Vladimer Khuchua of the Tetritskaro Municipality confirmed that the secrecy of the vote had been violated in the October 26 elections, setting an important precedent for the case. This decision annuls the results of 30 precincts. He is the first judge to rule in favor of the Georgian Young Lawyers Association’s (GYLA) complaint that the secrecy of the ballot had been violated during the elections because the ballots were so thin that it was possible to see on the other side of the paper who the person had voted for.
20:15 – Opposition Presents Plan of Actions
The main opposition forces presented their plan of actions at the rally at Rustaveli avenue. The plan consists of 3 parts: 1) Inform all Georgian citizens about the fraud, deception and machinations used by Georgian Dream to steal elections. 2) Make sure that international partners don’t recognize the rigged elections, and 3) Continue democratic resistance, civic activism, street protests
It is announced that the next resistance march will take place on the 5th of November at 2:00 pm near the Sports Palace.
17:30 – Rally Demanding Annulment of Election Results has Begun
The mass rally of demonstrators against the allegedly rigged elections in Georgia has begun its march from Station Square to Rustaveli Avenue, which will end in front of the Parliament, where opposition politicians will address the gathered people from a stage and present their plan of action to prove the election fraud. The pro-Western rally participants demand the annulment of the results of the October 26 elections and the holding of new elections in their place. The government has already mobilized special forces inside the Parliament. Some opposition representatives have already announced their intention to set up tents in front of the Parliament.
14:00 – For Georgia’s Deputy Chair Summoned to Prosecutor’s Office
Natia Mezvrishvili, Deputy Chair of the party Gakharia for Georgia, reported that she was summoned to the Prosecutor General’s Office as part of the investigation into allegations of fraudulent elections because of her statements that she had evidence of fraud. She stated that she would not go to the investigation “conducted for the purpose of formalizing” the “fraudulent elections”. She also stated that none of the evidence submitted to the Prosecutor’s office by the party has been investigated. Mezvrishvili noted that if the investigation of these “real cases of fraud” begins, then they will go to the Prosecutor’s Office and present all the evidence they have.
11:00 – Speaker of Parliament Speaks on Election “Disinformation”
Speaker Papuashvili dismissed allegations of electoral fraud made by local civil society organizations, the opposition, and the President. These allegations, which he denied, included violations of voting secrecy rules, voter mobilization efforts by Georgian Dream, and suspicions of unusually high voter turnout in certain regions. However, it was not so much the content of the brifing that attracted attention, but the fact that it showed a map of Georgia without the occupied territories of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali.
11:00 – My Vote Calls on Prosecutor’s Office to Launch Investigation Against CEC Members
My Vote local observation mission calls on the Prosecutor’s Office to open an investigation against the members of the CEC, including the head of the CEC, Giorgi Kalandarishvili, under Article 342 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which deals with neglect of official duty, and under Article 332 on abuse of power.
Saturday, November 2
16:30 – My Vote Says None of its Complaints Satisfied
My Vote, a local observer mission uniting dozens of Georgian civil society organizations, which on October 30 filed complaints in 29 districts, calling for the annulment of the results of 246 precincts, said none of its appeals for the annulment were satisfied. The number of registered voters in these precincts is 417,305.
Friday, November 1
21:45 – Public Defender Recuses Himself From Commenting on Elections
The Public Defender of Georgia, Levan Ioseliani shared his position on the allegedly fraudulent elections in Georgia, saying that his mandate does not provide for qualifying the legitimacy of the elections. Asked whether he believed the October 26 elections were held in a free, fair and democratic environment, he said: “The fact is that this question should not be addressed to the Public Defender. Neither I nor any other public defender of Georgia. None of them have ever assessed the legitimacy of elections, because that is not the mandate of the Public Defender. We have made statements about this many times. We are not a monitoring organization, we did not observe [the elections], so neither I, nor my successor, nor any other Public Defender can discuss whether the elections are legitimate”.
15:08 – “For Georgia”: CEC is Deleting and Falsifying Information from its Servers
The Deputy Chair of “Gakharia for Georgia” party, Natia Mezvrishvili held a briefing and announced that, according to the information the party has received, the CEC is deleting the information on the vote-counting machines and falsifying the databases on the CEC’s servers. Therefore, the party decided to appeal to the court with the request to protect this information everywhere and to force the CEC to comply with the party’s demands to publish the information. “Every day of delay creates the risk of destroying vital evidence, which is only in the interest of the [Georgian] Dream,” Mezvrishvili stressed.
14:07 – Two Sentenced to Pre-trial Detention for Ballot Stuffing in Marneuli
The Marneuli City Council (Sakrebulo) Deputy Chair, Rovshan Iskandarov, and another individual, Ekbar Iskandarov, have been sentenced to pre-trial detention on charges of ballot box stuffing in Marneuli’s 69th district. The decision was made by Bolnisi City Court Judge Gvantsa Chikovani. The lawyer of the convicts claims that the case involves violations of the rules of procedure, not electoral fraud, because according to the defendants they didn’t stuff the ballot box with fraudulent ballots. The case will be heard by the court on December 25. The defendants face two years in prison for violeting article 164³ of the Criminal Code.
12:50 – ICC Georgia Expresses Profound Concern Over Elections
The International Chamber of Commerce in Georgia has issued a statement expressing profound concern about the conduct of the parliamentary elections. “Reports of massive, systemic irregularities during the electoral process, including before election date, have raised significant alarm among the business community,” ICC Georgia says.
The business organization says that it “vehemently condemns” Georgia’s deviation from the Euro-Atlantic path toward alignment with Russia; that it “fully endorses” President Salome Zurabishvili’s position. It also calls for early elections to be held under neutral international supervision. ICC Georgia also calls on other business organizations in Georgia to condemn the anti-democratic actions and “any deviation from our European path as enshrined in the Georgian Constitution.”
Thursday, October 31
20:00 – Opposition Alliances Announce Rally and Promise Detailed Action Plan
Three opposition forces – Coalition for Change, Unity and Strong Georgia- announced at a briefing a rally on November 4 on the Rustaveli avenue where they said they will present a detailed plan of actions.
12:19 – SIS Launches Investigation into Alleged Interference with Journalists’ Work
The Georgian Special Investigation Service announced an investigation under the first part of the Article 154 of the Criminal Code into possible unlawful interference in the professional activities of journalists during October 26 elections. SIS noted that the investigation was prompted by reports from the Media Ombudsman, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and a service hotline, and the Service has examined 17 incidents involving journalists in different regions. Of these, 13 cases showed no signs of criminal activity based on preliminary reports, but investigators contacted all the journalists and cameramen involved to ensure prompt legal responses. To date, five journalists and one cameraman have participated in the investigation, and the Service continues to take the necessary investigative and procedural steps.
11:30 – Prosecutor’s Office Says 47 Cases of Election-Related Crimes Under Investigation
The Prosecutor’s Office said that 47 criminal cases are being investigated for alleged crimes committed before and on election day, including the facts of alleged vote rigging, influencing voters’ will, violation of the secrecy of voting, vote buying, obstruction of journalistic work, violation and threats during pre-election agitation, damage and destruction of property. It also said that the individuals in connection with the alleged crimes are being “intensively” summoned for questioning.
The Prosecutor’s Office also said that two individuals are arrested on the electoral rigging facts that were committed in Marneuli’s 69th precinct.
“It is noteworthy that in certain cases, the individuals who publicly declare that they have information and evidence on alleged crimes committed during the election process are not cooperating with the investigation so far and are refusing to provide relevant information, which hinders the investigation process,” the Prosecutor’s Office added.
Wednesday, October 30
22:00 – CoE Safety of Journalists Platform: Investigate Election-Day Abuses Against Media
Citing more than a dozen cases of various abuses against Georgian journalists on election day, the Council of Europe’s Safety of Journalists Platform calls for the investigation of documented cases and the prosecution of those responsible. More.
20:00 – EU Ambassador Calls for Full Transparency on Electoral Process
“Georgia’s next government should reverse course, recommit to democratic principles and values if it wants to bring the country closer to the EU. This has to start with full transparency about the electoral process,” EU Ambassador Pawel Herczyński said as he commented on the European Commission’s Second Enlargement Report. The Commission press release also underlined the findings of OSCE/ODIHR on the parliamentary elections in Georgia, noting that the observer “identified several shortcomings that occurred in a tense and highly polarised environment,” and emphasizing that “these preliminary findings confirm the need for a comprehensive electoral reform that was already highlighted in past key recommendations.” Read More.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell also spoke extensively about elections, calling for an investigation into the irregularities and noting that the Georgian authorities have “moved away from the EU” with recent actions and legislative decisions. More.
20:00 – President Slams Prosecutor’s Office, Demands Immediate Investigation of Election Fraud
After being summoned by the Prosecutor’s Office for questioning as part of the investigation into alleged election fraud, President Salome Zurabishvili held a press briefing suggesting that she would not comply with the Prosecutor’s summons. More.
19:00 – PM Kobakhidze on Investigation into Elections: Everyone Can Check Everything
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said on October 30 that the elections were “conducted absolutely cleanly, democratically and fairly” and promised that “absolutely everything will be open. Everyone can look into everything.” More.
18:00 – Concerns Mount Over Mass Breach of Ballot Secrecy in Machine-Voting
Voters, election watchdogs, and opposition parties have raised alarms about a mass breach of secrecy in the 2024 general election, arguing that the new way of casting a ballot in electronic voting precincts made voters’ choices commonly visible. Watchdogs claim that the Central Election Commission had falsely promised before the vote to address the problem as voters and observers massively reported that upon casting a ballot, traces of ink on the back of the ballot paper made the voters’ choice easily visible to others. Read Details.
16:00 – CEC Alleges Pressure on Staff, Says It Will Forward Cases to “Relevant Bodies”
The Central Election Commission (CEC) alleges “intense pressure” on its staff, including commission members at all levels and those working in overseas precincts. According to CEC spokesperson Natia Ioseliani, some CEC staffers have received “offensive phone calls and messages containing threats” and have also been subjected to “insults, pressure, bullying, and the use of hate speech” on social media. According to the statement, the pressure has been exerted both on individual employees and on the CEC’s official social media pages. “Any call or message that goes against the law will be forwarded to the relevant authorities for further action,” Ioseliani said.
15:00 – My Vote Demands Annulment of Results in 246 Precincts Citing “Grave Violations”
My Vote, a local observer mission uniting dozens of Georgian civil society organizations, said it had filed complaints in 29 districts calling for the annulment of the results of 246 precincts with a total of 417,305 voters. According to the watchdog, the complaints were written about serious violations found in the precincts, which grossly violated the basic principles of elections – secrecy and free expression of will. Read More.
14:00 – Citing Vote Secrecy Breaches, GYLA Seeks Annulment of Results in All 2,263 Electronic Precincts
The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), which deployed a local monitoring mission to observe the 2024 elections, has called for the results of all 2,263 electronic precincts to be annulled, citing mass violations of voting secrecy. According to the watchdog, violations included the ruling Georgian Dream party installing cameras in polling stations, some of which captured views of sensitive areas such as registration desks, verification machines, voting booths, and the main ballot box. The ballots used in the electronic voting were also so thin that voters’ choices were visible even from the back, mainly through the traces of markers given to voters to fill in the party circles. Read More.
12:00 – Prosecutor Launches Investigation into Election Fraud Allegations, Summons President for Questioning
The Georgian Prosecutor General’s Office reported that it had opened an investigation into the alleged rigging of the parliamentary elections on the basis of the address of the CEC under Article 164 (Interference with the work of election or referendum commissions) of the Criminal Code. It also noted that Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili was summoned for questioning on October 31 on the basis of the CEC’s statement and information disseminated online indicating that she had evidence of fraud.
Tuesday, October 29
EaP CSF Steering Committee Calls for Non-Recognition of Elections in Georgia
the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF) Steering Committee issued a statement expressing concern over the conduct of the October 26 parliamentary elections in Georgia and calling for the non-recognition of the official results.
15:10 – CSOs Launch Open Platform to Tackle Election Fraud
Representatives of civil society organizations announced during a meeting their decision to create an open platform where all relevant experts and pro-European parties, as well as Western partners and organizations, will work together to develop action plans and strategies for conducting a detailed and impartial international investigation into all cases of fraud identified during the elections. The platform will be used to share knowledge and experience, as well as to find ways to communicate with society to get out of the political crisis. They call on civil society, academic groups, and political parties to work together for the future of Georgia.
14:00 – CEC Slams Election-Related “Disinformation”
The CEC representative briefed society on what she called disinformation campaign. She said some “manipulative and unfounded information” is being spread in the media and on social media and has taken on the form of a campaign.
She discussed several controversial cases. These included allegations that some vote-counting machines produced results different from reality, that citizens voted massively with expired IDs, that some invalid ballots were counted, apparently in favour of the GD, etc. The CEC representative denied all these allegations.
She accused the opposition parties and President Salome Zurabishvili of making discrediting statements as if the voting technologies had been used to rig the elections.
12:00 – Speaker Papuashvili Denies Allegations of Election Fraud
At a briefing, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili denied allegations of electoral fraud, saying: “These days we are witnessing the process of declaring illegitimate the elections that were meticulously conducted at the highest level.” This process, he said, is aimed at “creating a wave of protests and unrest in Georgia and developing the desired revolutionary scenario”. He added: “The government has made great efforts not to give the opponents a pretext to question the credibility of the elections.” Papuashvili dismissed the observers’ allegations and their evidence of electoral fraud, saying their photos and video footage are”pseudo-evidence.”
Papuashvili lashed out at observers, the opposition and the President, accusing them of lying while he was quoting highly disputed figures to defend GD’s victory.
Monday, October 28
Matthew Miller: U.S. Wants Full Investigation into Georgian Elections
The U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said that the U.S. joins international and local observers in calling for a full investigation into reports of election-related violations in Georgia’s October 26 elections. He did not specify that the investigating body should be the Georgian one, but said that the U.S. is consulting with European partners on what might be an appropriate body to conduct such an investigation.
Canada to Reassess Relations with Georgia After Claims of Rigged Elections
Global Affairs Canada issued a statement on the parliamentary elections in Georgia, announcing a reassessment of relations and calling for an investigation into the violations identified by international observers on election day. The Government of Canada also calls on the Georgian authorities to respect the rights of peaceful demonstrators and commends Georgians for their active participation in the elections.
Sweden Suspends Cooperation with Georgia After Claims of Rigged Elections
The Swedish Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Benjamin Dousa, told the media that the Swedish government had decided to suspend cooperation between the two countries. Sweden is one of the biggest donors of Georgia and its aid has amounted to almost USD 19 million a year. Dousa noted that cooperation could be resumed if Georgia returned to the EU path.
Sunday, October 27
Blinken: U.S. Condemns Breaches of Int. Norms During Oct.26 Elections, Calls for Investigation
The United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken issued a statement on the parliamentary elections in Georgia, condemning “all contraventions of international norms” and joining the “calls from international and local observers for a full investigation of all reports of election-related violations.”
Latvian, Lithuanian MFAs Question the ‘Free and Fair’ Nature of Georgian Elections
The Foreign Ministries of Latvia and Lithuania issued statements on the Georgian parliamentary elections, both questioning the electoral process. The Latvian Foreign Ministry calls for an investigation of all violations noted by local and international observers, while the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry finds it difficult to generally recognize these elections as free and fair.
22:17 – Latvian President: Nobody has Right to Steal Georgia’s European Dream
Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs expressed solidarity with the Georgian people in a social media post, saying, “Georgian people have European dream, no one has the right to steal this dream through intimidation and manipulation. Full solidarity with the people of Georgia and President Salome Zurabishvili.”
21:51 – Polish FM Reacts to President Zurabishvili’s Rejection of Elections
Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski in a social media post reacted to Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili’s rejection of the official election results by saying, “The President of Georgia has announced that the parliamentary elections were falsified. Europe must now stand with the Georgian people.”
21:30 – ISFED: PVT, CEC Results “May Not Properly Reflect” Voters’ Will
“The results of the parliamentary elections may not properly reflect the will of the Georgian voters,” said the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), a key local election monitoring organization, in its closing statement on Election Day observation. According to the statement, the results of ISFED’s Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT), a statistical method used to verify official results, “are in line with the results announced by the Central Election Commission”. However, the PVT results cannot be used “as a measure of the validity of the electoral process,” ISFED argues, saying that “the violations of a fundamental nature observed on election day influenced the expression of the free will of the voters.”
According to ISFED, campaign violations such as pressure and intimidation of voters, confiscation of ID cards, collection and processing of personal data, and vote buying “significantly damaged confidence in the elections”. Among the “serious” election-day violations identified by ISFED were “ballot stuffing, multiple voting, unprecedented levels of voter bribery, expulsion of observers from polling stations, as well as instances of mobilization of voters outside polling stations, collection of their personal data and control of their voting intentions.” The watchdog says that “given the combination of these violations, the results may not reflect the will of the voters,” adding that ISFED, therefore, doesn’t plan to publish the PVT results.
21:00 – President Salome Zurabishvili Rejects Election Results
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili refused to recognize the election results that gave victory to the GD. At a special briefing surrounded by leaders of opposition political parties, Zurabishvili said it was a “total fraud” and a “total robbery” of votes. She said the elections were “Russian” in nature. “We were witnesses and victims of a Russian special operation,” she said, adding, “They took away our electoral institute.”
She called on citizens to gather the next day, October 28 at 19:00 on Rustaveli Avenue, near the parliament, to show the world that Georgians do not recognize the election results. “Nothing can make these elections legitimate,” she concluded.
20:30 – Charles Michel Calls CEC to Investigate Electoral Irregularities; EUCO to Assess Relations with Georgia in November
European Council President Charles Michel called on the CEC to investigate election irregularities and said he intends to put Georgia on the agenda of the informal European Council in November.
“Following the parliamentary elections in Georgia, I intend to put Georgia on the agenda of the informal #EUCO in Budapest. We note the OSCE/ODIHR preliminary assessment and call on the Central Election Commission and other relevant authorities to fulfill their duty to swiftly, transparently, and independently investigate and adjudicate electoral irregularities and allegations thereof. These alleged irregularities must be seriously clarified and addressed. We reiterate the EU’s call to the Georgian leadership to demonstrate its firm commitment to the country’s EU path, also in line with EUCO June and October conclusions. Constructive and inclusive dialogue across the political spectrum is now paramount. The November EUCO will assess the situation and set the next steps in our relations with Georgia,” Michel tweeted.
19:10 – Unity-UNM Not To Enter Parliament Either
Unity-UNM leader Tina Bokuchava said the coalition would not enter parliament. “When we said that we do not recognize the election results, this in itself means that we are not going to enter parliament,” Bokuchava said.
Yesterday, the Unity-UNM rejected the official election results after the Central Election Commission’s figures gave the victory to the GD in dramatic contradiction to two credible exit polls and against the backdrop of various electoral violations throughout the voting day.
18:30 – Hungarian PM Orban to Visit Tbilisi
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will arrive in Tbilisi tomorrow for an official visit, the Georgian government administration reported. The visit will last for two days, Oct. 28-29. PM Orban will be accompanied by a delegation of Hungarian ministers and officials.
Hungary’s leader congratulated the ruling party on its alleged victory at a time when even preliminary results had not been announced and only conflicting exit polls were out.
18:11 – Coalition for Change MP Candidates Renounce Mandates
The Coalition for Change’s front runner Nana Malashkhia renounced MP mandate and announced the others in the list will follow as well. “We refuse our parliamentary mandates. I, Nana Malashkhia, number one on the party list, entered politics for ideas and to protect the interests of this country. Therefore, today I renounce my parliamentary mandate… The twenty leaders of the list join me,” Nana Malashkhia said.
18:10 – Senior European MPs: EU Cannot Recognize Results of 26 October Vote
Senior European parliamentarians issued a joint statement with their Canadian counterpart saying “the elections were neither free nor fair” and that “the European Union cannot recognize the result.” The MPs call to sanction “those responsible for unfair electoral influence, intimidation and threats against the opposition and civil society.” Read More.
18:00 – Helsinki Commission Chair to State Dep.: Investigate Fraud Allegations in Georgia
U.S. Helsinki Commission Chairman Rep. Joe Wilson called on the U.S. State Department to investigate the allegations of fraud and Russian interference in the October 26 Parliamentary elections in Georgia. “I am troubled by the credible allegations of systematic violations in the Georgian parliamentary election. I am also disturbed by the well-documented efforts by Russia to sway the election,” the Chairman said. Read More.
15:45 – Strong Georgia Rejects Official Election Results
Strong Georgia has joined other opposition coalitions in rejecting the official election results. “This election and its results are unacceptable to us, therefore we do not recognize the results of yesterday’s elections… We will continue to protect the votes of each and every one of our citizens,” announced Strong Georgia leader Mamuka Khazaradze.
15:00 IEOM Issues Preliminary Findings and Conclusion on October 26 Elections
International Election Observation Mission issued its Preliminary Findings and Conclusions on the October 26 Parliamentary elections, saying that elections “unfolded amid entrenched polarization in an environment marred by concerns over recently adopted legislation, its impact on fundamental freedoms and civil society.” While “contestants could generally campaign freely “reports of pressure on voters, particularly on public sector employees, remained widespread in the campaign.” The report says that this coupled with extensive tracking of voters on election day, “raised concerns about the ability of some voters to cast their vote without fear of retribution.”
The document also says that while the legal framework provides an adequate basis for democratic elections, “recent frequent amendments marked a step backward, raising concerns over its potential use for political gain.” It is also notes the issue of the public perception of the impartiality of election administration, saying it was negatively impacted by concerns about recent amendments, which “vest control over the selection and nomination process of the CEC to the ruling party, the cancellation of the opposition-nominated deputy chairperson position, its decision-making process, as well as perceived links between non-partisan members and the ruling party.”
While noting that while the introduction of the electronic devices was supported by most stakeholders, the report says that “key stakeholders were not provided access to the audit processes and had limited access to related documentation, limiting transparency, at odds with international good practice.”
14:00 – NDI, IRI International Observer Mission Preliminary Assessment of Georgian Elections
The preliminary statement by NDI says that although polling stations were generally calm and organized,
“citizen observers reported a significant increase in serious violations from the previous elections including violence, voter intimidation and instances of ballot stuffing.”
It further states that “It is clear that the pre-election period failed to meet fundamental standards for democratic elections.” It further notes that the government’s passage of the Agents’ law labeling civic actors as foreign agents and its campaign to intimidate dissenting opinion “generated a climate of fear” noting also that “ruling party leaders also threatened to criminalize opposition political parties.”
Noting that “throughout election day, reports from citizen observers provided valuable information to support our observation findings” the statement reads that “on election day, citizen observers witnessed widespread violations of the neutrality zone around polling stations by gatherings of ruling party figures and unauthorized persons” as well as intimidation of voters.”
IRI statement cites legal changes that influenced pre-election environment including the altering of the composition of the Election Commission (CEC), including the abolishment of the opposition-nominated deputy chairperson and a lower threshold for consensus-based decision-making across all commissions, adding that for the above reasons, the “trust in the independence and impartiality of the CEC is abysmally low.”
The statement talks of the use of state resources by the ruling party to “boost resources to boost its campaign and suppress voter turnout, including using local government officials to do their political bidding.” The document underlines the use of civil service and social assistance “to influence people to support the ruling party and/or to stigmatize support for other parties.”
The media landscape is characterized as “heavily biased toward GD,” with the ruling party narrative dominating the airtime, while opposition parties “struggle to gain equal media access” and independent media outlets have faced harassment.
The document raises concerns about the voter registration system, referring to the residency requirement maintained by the Central Election Commission (CEC) and the parliament, which is deemed “an unnecessary and arbitrary criterion for the parliamentary elections.” This arrangement also means that the system is “vulnerable to potential technical manipulation.”
Regarding the actual election day, the statement highlights 22 “critical incidents” spanning across Samegrelo and Zemo-Svaneti, Kakheti, Imereti, and Mtshketa-Mtianeti, as well as Tbilisi and Kvemo Kartli.
Pressure, intimidation, and harassment of voters are cited as the most prevalent forms of violation, taking place both inside and outside polling stations. The findings further claim that, in “isolated instances,” cases of vote buying, ballot stuffing, and attempts at multiple voting also occurred.
The statement also reads that certain domestic observer groups experienced “intimidation and interference in the course of their work, in some cases being ejected from polling stations.” Among the critical incidents have been captured are also cases of violence between the representatives of ruling and opposition parties and “brazen attempts at ballot stuffing.”
The statement stresses the problem of ballot secrecy “due to the prevalence of Georgian Dream video cameras within polling stations, reinforcing concerns raised by citizens regarding intimidation inside and outside polling stations.“
13:20 – ENEMO: Elections Were Held in Polarized and Restrictive Environment, Undermining Inclusivity, Transparency, and Fairness
The European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO) assessed the election process during a briefing, saying that “the 2024 parliamentary elections in Georgia were held in a polarized and restrictive environment, undermining inclusivity, transparency, and fairness. Critical violations included violence against opposition members, voter intimidation, smear campaigns targeting observers, and extensive misuse of administrative resources. Restrictive enforcement of campaign regulations limited competition, exerted significant pressure on civil society and the media, and reduced space for government criticism.”
ENEMO emphasized that “although the election administration generally conducted the process professionally and efficiently,” there are “concerns regarding the CEC’s independence and impartiality.” The observer stressed: “The cumulative impact of these observed issues significantly compromised the democratic integrity of the election process.”
Read ENEMO’s preliminary findings and conclusions here.
13:10 – Gakharia: Elections Rigged, No Time for Hopelessness, “Smart Forms” of Protest Needed
For Georgia party leader, ex-PM Giorgi Gakharia held a briefing stating that the will of the Georgian people was violated in the elections, but noted, “Now is not the time of hopelessness […] we must all turn to the smart forms of protest, which will be aimed first and foremost at protecting the choice of our citizens, protecting the European future of our country, and protecting the electoral institution as such,” stressing, “Saving the election institution, saving the results of yesterday’s elections is directly connected to saving the European future of the country.”
Gakharia stated that the elections were rigged both on election day and before. “It can be stated by facts that Ivanishvili violated the will of the Georgian people,” Gakharia said, adding that the official results “of course do not reflect the will of the Georgian people.” He said the facts of the violations had been made available to local and international observer missions.
“I can tell you unequivocally that intimidation of voters, bribery of voters, manipulation of voter cards was systematic […] to steal the elections and the will of the Georgian people,” Gakharia said.
12:47 – Khazaradze: Ivanishvili Carried Out a KGB Special Operation
Mamuka Khazaradze, leader of the Strong Georgia coalition, reacted to the official election results in a social media post, writing, “It’s perfectly understandable what happened. Bidzina carried out a special KGB special operation. The elections were totally rigged, they took people’s votes and are preparing the country for Russia. This will not work! I will not and cannot agree with this forgery… Never!”
12:00 – ISFED Briefing: Violations Had Substantial Impact on Election Results
The head of the election watchdog ISFED, whose 1500 observers monitored the elections, Nino Dolidze, during the midday briefing, said that the elections were marked by serious violations, as there were cases of pressure, threats, illegal collection of personal data, the expulsion of observers, irregularities with voter marking procedure, breaches of vote secrecy, mobilization of unauthorized people near polling stations, cases of multiple voting and exercise of control over the voters, of not allowing observers do their job and in some instance kicking them out from the precincts, the insertion of multiple ballots into the ballot box, and others.
These violations had a serious impact on the results of the elections, according to ISFED. The watchdog also said that the manipulation and use of administrative resources by the government, as well as the use of state infrastructure, social and economic programmes for electoral purposes, the involvement of officials in pre-election agitation, the illegal collection of personal data of citizens, all had a significant impact on the results of the elections.
Dolidze also spoke about other factors that influenced the results, such as the failure of the authorities to open additional polling stations for the Georgian diaspora, recent electoral changes to the work of the CEC and its staffing, and changes to the rules governing the distribution of roles at polling stations.
11:15 – PM Irakli Kobakhidze Holds Post-Election Briefing
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze holds a post-election briefing. “The Georgian people made the only choice that had no alternative; they chose peace and the country’s development, its bright, European future,” declared Kobakhidze. He claimed that the ruling party had won with a record 1,200,000 votes. He also claimed that the elections were “peaceful,” alleging staged provocations by opposition-leaning television crews. He also thanked the Central Election Commission for “administering elections flawlessly.” He also thanked the members of the election commission. In addition, Kobakhidze expressed special gratitude to the Georgian people, who, according to the Prime Minister, “expressed their trust” in the GD. “The fate of peace for Georgia was decided in these elections, and the ‘consumers’ of peace will be all Georgian citizens without exception,” Kobakhidze said. Finally, he pledged promising economic development in the next four years, during which, according to official election data, the GD is supposed to remain in office. “Peace will bring unprecedented development to our country in the next four years,” he concluded.
11:00 – GYLA Speaks of Violations Identified on Election Day
The head of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, Nona Kurdovanidze, held a briefing to assess the Election Day process. She noted that the elections were held “against a background of significant violations, predominantly in an unfair, violent and tense environment”. She listed the main violations:
- Violation of the marking rules – either the CEC commission members did not spray the marking fluid or they asked the voters if they wanted to have the marking fluid sprayed on their fingers; in some cases, the special flashlight failed to detect the marking fluid; there were cases of voting by those voters who seemed to have been marked previously;
- Double verification by voters and the case of the same voter voting several times;
- Obstructing the work of the observers;
- Violation of the secrecy of the vote and influencing the voter’s will; in the majority of the precincts observed by GYLA, the Georgian Dream’s cameras were installed, which monitored the verification machine or the voting booths. Also, there were cases of voters voting with an unauthorized companion.
- Other violations during the elections: Tensions outside the precinct; identification of the voters outside of the precincts by party representatives; interference with the activities of journalists; insufficient performance of functions by members of the commission; facts of illegal agitation; errors related to the use of electronic technologies.
- Violations related to the invalidation of the ballot after the closing of the polling stations, the sealing of the record book, and the familiarization with the documentation of the polling station.
“The serious violations that occurred on election day and the doubts about the reliability of the procedures raise the need for the CEC to clarify – against the background of the complete list of voters loaded into the verification machines – what mechanisms can be used to say with certainty that no duplicate lists were activated in different polling stations. This issue needs to be clarified, particularly as there were serious breaches of the marking procedures,” watchdog said.
10:40 – CEC Praises Electronic Technologies, Denies Allegations of Vote Manipulation
In a post-election briefing, CEC Chairman Giorgi Kalandarishvili said that the elections were successfully conducted with the use of electronic technologies. “Electronic technologies were successfully used in the elections,” he said, adding that “our planning and organization of the process was properly carried out at every stage”. He cited several statistics to prove that his words were true. For example, he said that out of up to 15,000 electronic machines used in the elections, only 20 broke down, and still in all the precincts the voting process continued. Kalandarishvili denied allegations of vote-rigging through multiple voting, specifically refuting claims that citizens voted at multiple polling stations, with their personal information logged into verification machines at more than one location.
In addition, Kalandarishvili presented official results based on 3100 out of 3111 polling stations across Georgia. The results of the parties that passed the 5 percent threshold are as follows:
- Coalition for Change – 10.92%
- Unity-UNM – 10.12%
- Strong Georgia – 8.78%
- Gakharia – For Georgia – 7.76%
- Georgian Dream – 54.8%
09:30 – Over 99% Precincts Counted, CEC Results: GD 54.23%, Opposition – 37.44%
With more than 99% of precincts counted, official results from the Central Election Commission give the ruling Georgian Dream party a 54.23% lead. The combined total of opposition parties that passed the 5% threshold is 37.44%, including:
- Coalition for Change (Ahali+Girchi – More Freedom + Droa) – 10.82%
- Unity to Save Georgia (UNM+Strategy Agmashenebeli) – 10.11%
- Strong Georgia (Lelo for Georgia+For People+Citizens+Freedom Square) – 8.76%
- For Georgia (ex-PM Gakharia’s party) – 7.75%
01:30 – Strong Georgia “Indignant” About Official Preliminary Results
“We are indignant by what the CEC dared to announce. The results they announced do not reflect the will of the Georgian people. Against the backdrop of elections conducted with nationwide intimidation and bribery, the announced figures contradict the historical and present-day choice of the Georgian people,” said Ana Dolidze, one of the leaders of Strong Georgia.
“What they have announced to us are not the real results, they have announced results that favor them, which causes our indignation,” said Aleko Elisashvili, another leader.
00:50 – My Vote Speaks of ‘Large Scale’ Rigging Scheme as Preliminary Results Give Lead to GD, Says Will Demand Annulment of Official Results
My Vote, a local observer mission uniting dozens of Georgian civil society organizations, said it identified a “large scheme” to rig the 2024 parliamentary elections and will demand the annulment of the official results. According to Toloraia, “It became clear that a complex scheme had been worked out to rig the elections,” using methods such as “‘breaking down the verification system, violating marking procedures, and preventing observers from monitoring the voter identification process.” My Vote pointed to “mass” incidents of voters being given two or more ballots instead of one during the first half of the day, and said there were also cases where the ruling party’s field was already marked on the ballot. The mission said it also “became clear” that numerous reports of confiscating or “renting” voters’ ID cards and collecting their personal information during the campaign were used to carry out the same rigging scheme.
According to My Vote, as of 10-11 p.m., the mission’s observers identified 347 violations of the marking process, 89 reports of violations of the secrecy of the vote, 341 cases of unauthorized persons in the polling station, and 96 cases of physical violence, threats, and confrontations, as well as 163 cases of obstruction of My Vote observers.
00:20 – Two Opposition Coalitions Reject Official Preliminary Results
Opposition coalitions Unity-UNM and the Coalition for change leaders have announced on separate briefings that they are not recognizing the official preliminary results announced by the Central Election Commission.
“On behalf of the UNM, we declare that we will not recognize the results of these stolen elections… We will not give up our European future and we will not accept the stolen election results announced by the Central Election Commission,” said Tina Bokuchava, Chairperson of the UNM.
“We did not expect not to accept the results of these elections. But the elections were stolen, this is a coup and the GD is responsible for it and they will be held accountable,” Nika Gvaramia, one of the leaders of the Coalition said that the party has deciphered how the elections were stolen through technological scheme. “We are continuing to investigate because there were several ways in which the elections were stolen. Our unequivocal decision is that the GD will not remain in power, it’s a constitutional coup,” he added.
The party representatives said that according to their initial investigation into the matter, several ways were used to steal the elections, such as manipulation of the verification system assisted by the registrars who were exclusively GD members), tampering with the marking, multiple electronic voting by the same people in different precincts, for which the GD used the personal information that it had collected by taking the IDs of the voters before the elections.
00:09 – Coalition For Change Office in Zugdidi Targeted
The Coalition for Change office in Zugdidi was targeted by alleged government-paid thugs who threw metal objects and pots at the office and attempted to enter, but left the area as media arrived on the scene. Police and ambulances are now seen in the area. This was reportedly the second attack on the same office today.
Saturday, October 26
23:10 – Gakharia-For Georgia: Election Day Violations Impacted Official Data
Natia Mezvrishvili, deputy chair of the Gakharia-for Georgia party, held a briefing on alleged widespread violations on election day and said that while the party would wait for the final results, it plans to share detailed evidence of violations with local and international partners. Mezvrishvili highlighted several violations that she said impacted the official preliminary results, including vote buying, the acceptance of spoiled ballots in favor of Georgian Dream, the distribution of pre-marked ballots, and incidents of voters casting multiple ballots.
22:00 – CEC Announces Preliminary Results: GD Leads
CEC announces preliminary results:
- Georgian Dream – 52.99% (935,004 votes)
- Coalition for Change – 11.2% (197,619 votes)
- Unity-UNM – 9.83 (173,510 votes)
- Strong Georgia – 9.02% (159,306 votes)
- Gakharia – For Georgia – 8.22% (145,205 votes
Others failed to pass the 5% threshold.
21:25 – Voter Turnout 58,94% at 20:00, Polls Closed
Official preliminary results are expected soon as 3,000 polling stations closed at around 8 p.m. with 58,94% turnout in Georgia’s October 26 parliamentary elections. The three exit polls showed dramatically contrasting results, leading both the ruling party and the opposition to celebrate victory.
20:15 – Opposition React to Exit Polls
Like the ruling party, opposition reacted to exitpolls with celebration:
Coalition for Change leader Nika Gvaramia: “According to both exit polls, Georgian Dream lost. It has less than 70 seats. The opposition wins. I hope that there will be no question marks in any of the opposition parties as to how the coalition should be formed, nor among the MPs elected by the individual opposition parties. The mandates are distributed about 85-65. These exit polls do not include the immigrant vote. Among immigrants, Georgian Dream loses significantly. It will not be a few votes, it will be up to 100 thousand votes, which will change the results of the elections with a rather negative context for [Georgian] Dream.”
For Georgia leader and ex-prime minister Giorgi Gakharia: “I expect much better results after the real counting [of ballots] begins. I want to tell you that exit polls, especially in our society, these exit polls have a decently high margin of error, that’s why there are such differences now… All kinds of celebrations should come after. Believe me, when the counting is over, our results, the results of the opposition parties as well, will be much better than the exit polls, I am sure of that.”
Coalition Strong Georgia Leader, Mamuka Khazaradze: “Congratulations on the defeat of the Russian government in Georgia. The will of the people has been expressed, now this will must be protected. It is necessary to see this through. I would like to call upon all our representatives in the precincts to protect the votes of the voters until the end, until the last minute… And another thing, today the Georgian society has ended the period of stagnation. A new period, a new life is beginning in Georgia, which is directed towards freedom, democracy and reconstruction of the country. The strength and energy aimed at building a strong Georgia are beginning to work. The most important thing is that the kleptocratic rule of Bidzina Ivanishvili has ended in Georgia…”
Tina Bokuchava, the leader of Unity-UNM, decared: “Despite the violence, Europe won and the Georgian people won. Today, no particular party has won, but the European future of the country, and the opposition has won and GD has lost. The time of Ivanishvili is over,” adding that “in this election the Georgian people voted for a coalition government” and expressed their readiness to form the coalition soon.
20:15 – GD Honorary Chair Reacts to the Exit Polls
Addressing supporters gathered in front of the Georgian Dream office in Tbilisi, Honorary Chair of the ruling party, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili said it was a “rare occasion worldwide, for the same party to keep being successful amid such hard circumstances.” Ivanishvili claimed that in the next four years, the GD would “do a lot, and in the four years after that Georgia will be among the most successful countries in the world.” He added that “there will be no lies, no treachery, no conniving.
20:10 – Hungary’s Orban Congratulates GD on Alleged Victory
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban congratulated Georgia’s ruling party on its alleged victory based on controversial exit poll results. Orban tweeted: “Congratulations to Prime Minister Irakli Konbakhidze and the Georgian Dream party on their overwhelming victory at the parliamentary elections today. The people of Georgia know what is best for their country, and made their voice heard today!”
20:00 – Three Exit polls Show Conflicting Results, All Celebrate Victory
Three exit polls released after polls closed across Georgia at 8 p.m. show conflicting results from the October 26 parliamentary elections, with two polls commissioned by opposition-leaning TV stations giving the opposition the lead, while data from pro-government Imedi TV poll projects Georgian Dream as a winner.
19:30 – My Vote: Midterm evaluation of the voting process
The mission has released the results of its election observation based on information gathered by 2000 observers between 15:00 and 17:00. The main points are that voting in the constituencies is taking place under violent pressure.
Due to regular cases of violence against observers, My Vote decided to evacuate its observers from certain precincts in Marneuli. In Marneuli and Gardabani, the facts of voting with one’s own passport but with a different personal number are recorded, with the participation of the commission members.
There are still many cases of non-implementation of marking and cases of voting more than once. In case of precincts opened abroad, especially in Europe and the USA, voters stand in queues for many hours.
The situation is particularly alarming in Spain, where the commission is unable to register voters due to high turnout and voters are unable to vote. The main problem is the lack of registrars.
Based on the information from 1222 precincts received by 18:00, in 50 precincts marking is not being checked properly, in 32 precincts marking rules are violates, voting secrecy was violated in 22 precincts, intimidation and physical violence cases are observed in 31 precincts.
Key incidents include the physical violence in Tbilisi’s 5th district’s 1st precinct where My Vote’s observer was attacked. In Marneuli’s 4th precinct GYLA’s observer was restricted from observing. In the 77th precinct of the 32nd district of Gori, the representative of “Georgian Dream” stood next to the box and took notes after the voters had put into the ballot in the box, which was noticed by the chairman of the commission. In the Kutaisi 59th precinct there was observed the agitation cases by the representative of Georgian dream.
The secrecy of voting was violated in the 8th precinct in Kobuleti. Commission members usually place the ballot in the vote counting machines themselves. Also, the fact of three voters entering the booth together and voting was recorded. Critically long queues are observed in London, Paris, Rome, Athens, Milan, Stuttgart, Berlin, and New York. A serious problem is faced by the voters coming to the precinct who are on the voter list on the CEC website and are on consular registration, although they were not on the desk list and could not vote. There are about 50 such voters in Milan.
19:26 – Ombudsman Criticizes Precinct for Lack of Access for Persons with Disabilities
The Public Defender of Georgia, Levan Ioseliani, visited precinct N52 of Saburtalo District in Tbilisi, where he observed the process of exercising the right to vote by a blind voter.
He criticized the precinct building is not accessible for persons with disabilities. He also noted that the members of the precinct commission lack knowledge on how to accommodate the needs of blind or visually impaired persons, as they could not explain the voting procedure to the individual and could not answer the questions posed by the voter. The Public Defender emphasized that it is important to provide in-depth training to the members of the commission to ensure effective participation of voters with disabilities in the elections.
19:26 – Public Defender Calls on Law Enforcement to Promptly Investigate Cases of Physical Assault
The Public Defender of Georgia called on the law enforcement agencies to promptly and effectively investigate the cases of physical assault and confrontation in several precincts, identified within the first nine and a half hours of the election, in accordance to the law in Georgia. The Ombudsman notes:
- In some cases procedural violations were the preconditions for the incidents, tensions and confrontations that occurred at the polling stations and in the vicinity of the buildings, but in most cases the incidents were caused by the mobilization of various groups in the vicinity of the stations;
- Such violence against journalists and observers, as well as obstruction of their work, constitutes a criminal act;
- Everyone should abide by the law, which prohibits physical obstruction of voters’ movement inside the polling station or within 100 meters of the polling station on the day of the election, and to refrain from gathering people/registering voters within 100 meters of the polling station; in addition, the Public Defender calls on everyone to follow the above-mentioned legal order and not to support or encourage the initiation of violence and confrontation, even by keeping the appropriate distance;
- The role of the media is crucial, especially in informing the public about the electoral process, but it is also important that the media does not interfere with the work of the electoral commissions.
The Public Defender also appeals to the leaders of all political parties and their supporters to refrain from encouraging and initiating any kind of violence and to facilitate the conduct of elections in a peaceful and healthy environment.
18:20 – PM Irakli Kobakhidze Claims GD’s “Landslide Victory”
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze held a briefing and claimed that “elections are being held in a peaceful environment,” adding that “out of 3111 polling stations, elections are being held in peace in more than 3100 of them,” despite multiple reports of violence at polling stations across the country. He blamed the opposition-leaning TV stations and questioned the coincidence of the TV crews moving to places where the thugs would appear. Regarding the expectations, he said that the GD “already” has a “landslide victory”, but added that the constitutional majority is not yet guaranteed and therefore called on the citizens to go to the polls. He reiterated the GD’s familiar framing of the elections as a choice between “war and peace”, “immoral propaganda and traditional values”, “the dark past of the country and the bright European future of Georgia.”
18:10 – GD’s Thugs Raided UNM’s Central Office
Dozens of alleged Georgian Dream government-paid thugs stormed the central office of the United National Movement and attacked the UNM representatives there. The men arrived at the office in cars with huge Georgian Dream flags flying from the windows. TV Pirveli footage shows the physical assault on UNM members, who used pepper spray against the attackers, who quickly left the area.
18:00 – ISFED Presents Election Violations
Among violations identified by ISFED by 18:00 were:
- Another ballot box stuffing took place in another precinct, the 22nd in Marneuli.
- Allowing people with marking fluid into polling stations, resulting in double voting;
- Obstructing and removing observers from polling stations;
- Procedural errors in the use of electronic technology;
- Giving people more than one ballot;
- Voting with an expired ID;
- Violation of the secrecy of the ballot by more than one person entering the booth.
17:50 – Voter Turnout 50,6% at 17:00
1,768,816 people, representing 50,6% of the total number of registered voters, voted in the parliamentary elections across Georgia by 17:00, according to CEC.
17:41- Foreign Diplomats Visit Watchdogs’ Election Mission Offices
The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to Georgia, Anna Lyberg, the Estonian Ambassador to Georgia, Marge Mardisalu-Kahar, and the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Georgia, Meline Arakalian, also visited ISFED’s office. Ambassador of France to Georgia, Sheraz Gasri, also visited ISFED’s office.
Earlier United States Ambassador to Georgia Robin Dunnigan visited the office of the electoral watchdog International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) and the office of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association’s (GYLA) election mission headquarters to inquire about violations about electoral procedure. Mission Director for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), John Pennell, also visited GYLA’s election mission headquarters.
17:00 – My Vote Holds Briefing on Election Violations
Londa Toloraia, Spokesperson for My Vote, held a briefing on election violations observed in 1,227 precincts from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. She reported on issues affecting media and observers, violations of the secrecy of the ballot, and irregularities in the marking and verification process. Major violations reported included:
- Marking violations, including cases of voting without marking, occurred in 70 precincts;
- Voting secrecy was violated in 47 precincts;
- Unauthorized individuals were present at 139 precincts;
- Physical assaults and cases of intimidation were recorded in 38 precincts;
- Technical deficiencies in voting technology were observed in 133 precincts;
- In 92 precincts, unclear explanations of procedures hindered the voting process;
- My Vote observers were obstructed from performing their duties in 61 precincts.
16:55 – Riot Police Mobilized in Government Administration building
Reports and video surfaced in social networks that riot police is being mobilized in the Government administration building.
16:30 – UNM Representative Hospitalized after Being Attacked
UNM party representative is at the hospital after being attacked by several individuals at the territory of the 9th electoral precinct in Isani, Tbilisi.
“The group of people is mobilized around the 9th district. They do not appear sober. They were drinking right at the steps of the polling station building and when we approached them to find out who they were, the same individuals who threw bottles at me and verbally and physically assaulted me earlier today, directly attacked us. I have been kicked in the stomach; not sure if I was kicked by a leg or something else, they also kicked me in the jaw and head area. I am in terrible pain. I saw cold weapons falling from their pockets when they were throwing heavy objects at us. One of them had a cold weapon.” – says Mariam Dolidze.
Dolidze is currently at GeoHospital.
16:24 – CEC: 133 Complaints Filed by 3 p.m.
The CEC held a briefing and announced that as of 15:00, 1,454,837 people had voted, representing 41.62%. The CEC also announced that voting in Australia was closed, while voting in other countries was ongoing. By 3:00 p.m., 133 complaints had been filed by observers, most of them about violation of voting secrecy; violation of the marking rule; agitation; violation of the rights of the observer/representative; etc. The CEC also addressed the physical assaults organized by Georgian Dream thugs on the Gldani 60th precinct, saying that they had already acted “according to the law.”
16:00 – Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze Claims GD Already Has “Solid Majority”
GD General Secretary and Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze held a briefing and claimed, based on information received from the party’s local headquarters, that “GD has already guaranteed a solid majority” in the Georgian Parliament, but said that this is not enough as GD is seeking a constitutional majority, thus calling on citizens to vote. He also lauded the high voter turnout, but claimed that it favors the ruling party. He also lashed out at opposition-leaning media, accusing them of “a coordinated attempt to artificially disrupt the electoral process in order to create a false perception against the peaceful conduct of the elections.”
15:43 – President Says She Cannot Reach Interior Minister
President Salome Zurabishvili said in a video address that the presidential administration cannot reach Interior Minister or his deputy. “I would like to ask him and call on him that the reaction of the police be more prompt and more effective, because we should not allow such tensions in our polling stations,” she said. The President gave special thanks to the media working on the sites.
15:00 – Violations revealed by GYLA Monitoring Mission
According to GYLA Monitoring Mission, “by 15:00, the election process has continued with significant violations.” In Kutaisi 43th precinct the voters do not get enough instructions on how to fill out the ballots. At this stage, the GYLA observes 27 records in the record book, 23 in the Precinct Election Commission, and 11 in the District Election Commission. GYLA mission identified also 4 violations of law. The registration of voters continues inside and on the perimeter of the precincts. In addition, according to the information of the GYLA observers, the fact of bringing marked persons with a minibus is being observed on the perimeter of the 34th precinct of Batumi. Several cases have been observed when the voters cast the empty ballot. In Sachkhere 5th precinct the voter was not given an opportunity to change the mistakenly filled ballot. Besides, in Marneuli 12th precinct commission member was standing next to the voting cabin pointing the voter who to vote for. Additionally, in the same precinct, there is the local Majority deputy of the city council (Sakrebulo). GYLA complained about these violations and requested to stop polling in that precinct.
Physical violence cases have been observed in Marneuli 74th, Akhmeta 11th, Gori 22nd and Isani 9th precincts. The actions observed in these precincts include violent acts or threats during pre-electoral agitations or campaigns. Moreover, GYLA reported several cases of attacks on journalists. The examples include attacks on TV Pirveli journalist in Kvemo Khodasheni, after he reported the bribery next to the precinct.
Several cases have been identified that may contain signs of criminal activity. In Baghdati district, an unknown person burstin in the 23rd precinct and damaged the main ballot boxes and vote counting machines. At the 69th precinct of Marneuli, ballots were pushed into the ballot box, and the observer was physically assaulted. Besides, “the attempt at physical violence” and threat to the representative of the opposition party were observed in Gori 84th precinct. Another case of violation was revealed in Gardabani’s 33rd precinct where the voters were intimidated and instructed to fill in the circle next to certain parties. There have been cases of breaches of voting privacy.
14:50 – Majority Leader Accuses Opposition of Staging Provocations
GD MP and Parliamentary Majority Leader Mamuka Mdinaradze held another briefing, claiming that “very hopeful data are coming from regions and cities, including Tbilisi, which favor Georgian Dream and Georgia.” He blamed opposition-leaning TV Pirveli, claiming that the coincidence of the movements of the violent groups and the TV Pirveli crew indicates “a staged special operation involving thugs and TV goons,” claiming that these violent actors belong to TV Pirveli and the UNM, not the government. He cited some SSSG information claiming that the UNM is staging provocations to question the legitimacy of the elections.
15:00 – President Zurabishvili Calls on Police to Respond Timely to Violent Cases
President Salome Zurabishvili calls on police to remove “neighborhood bullies” and “violent gangs of drug addicts” from polling stations. “You are obliged to react more [actively] and timely,” she writes on social media.
14:55 – Marneuli 69th Precinct Closed
The CEC confirmed to Civil.ge that the Marneuli 69th precinct has been closed after the incident with a person stuffing several ballots in the box.
14:20 – TV Pirveli Crew Attacked in Telavi
Opposition-leaning TV Pirveli reports that its crew was attacked in the eastern Georgian town of Telavi, near the 16th polling station. According to the media, the attackers were allegedly GD supporters. The cameraman was beaten and the TV equipment was damaged.
14:20 – CEC Says Information on Pre-Marked Ballots is Manipulation, Reports Commission Member’s Death
The CEC held a briefing and reported that three verification machines and seven ballot counters had failed so far, but none of these technical problems caused a pause in the voting process. The CEC also addressed the image circulating on social media showing a pre-marked ballot, noting that the voter has the opportunity to verify the ballot as soon as he/she receives it, meaning that this information is “manipulative and aimed at damaging the electoral process.” The information about the replacement of marker fluid with water was also denied. The CEC also reported the death of a commission member in the 15th precinct of Poti.
14:00 – ISFED: Violations Identified in 9.1% of Precincts
ISFED held a briefing on the violations identified up to 2 p.m. In all Georgian precincts, ISFED observers identified an increasing number of “problematic incidents and violations”. Such incidents were identified in 9.1% of the precincts, including violation of the secrecy of the voting process; obstruction of observers, taking away their mobile phones when they took pictures of the violations and physically assaulting them; mobilization of voters, technical problems with electronic technologies, etc. ISFED President Nino Dolidze highlighted the Marneuli incident and the incident in the 18th precinct in Ambrolauri, where a commission member voted twice. There were also cases of unauthorized mobilization of people about 100 meters from polling stations, including mobilization of people coordinators of certain parties. There were also cases of transportation of voters and collection of private information about these voters by party coordinators.
13:29 – Marneuli 69th Precinct Voting Process Suspended
According to media reports, the 69th Marneuli precinct was temporarily closed after a person, who allegedly is the City Council (Sakrebulo) Deputy Chair stuffed several ballots in the box. CEC Chairman Giorgi Kalandarishvili addressed the case during a briefing, saying: “This is disturbing information and the election administration, if this information is confirmed, will not allow the possibility that such isolated, controlled or manipulated cases damage the long-term efforts we have invested into the Election Day. I would like to call and appeal to the Marneuli District Commission to urgently investigate the situation, convene a commission meeting, and make a relevant decision. As far as I know, the Ministry of Interior has opened a criminal case, and I would like to ask the Ministry to take swift action. Whether all these cases are true or not, they damage the electoral environment and the reputation of the institution.”
13:00 – Parliamentary Majority Leader Addresses Marneuli Precinct Incident
Mamuka Mdinaradze, GD MP and leader of the parliamentary majority held a briefing following reports of multiple ballots being stuffed into boxes in a Marneuli precinct. He claimed to have anticipated a scenario in which the UNM would bribe someone to violate election rules by stuffing ballots while others filmed the act – an incident that reportedly occurred just an hour earlier. Mdinaradze claimed that the act was premeditated to undermine the legitimacy of the election process. He promised a thorough investigation and vowed that the perpetrator would be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
13:00 – Voter Turnout 22,22 % at 12:00
776,726 people, representing 22.22% of the total number of registered voters, voted in the parliamentary elections across Georgia by 12:00, two hours after polling stations opened, according to CEC.
12:30 – My Vote Observer Physically Assaulted in Marneuli
A My Vote observer was physically assaulted in the 69th precinct of Marneuli, said Londa Toloraia, spokeswoman for My Vote, at the 11 a.m. briefing on election violations.
Based on information received from 1029 precincts, the organization has identified the following violation:
- Marking fluid was not properly inspected in 49 precincts;
- Voter verification rules were violated in eight precincts;
- Marker rules were violated in 68 precincts;
- Various types of electronic technology violations were observed in 125 precincts;
- Observers were restricted in their right to observe in 38 precincts. One of the organization’s observers was subjected to physical violence in Marneuli in the 79th district.
“An alarming tendency to give voters more than one ballot continues,” Toloraia added, noting that up to 50 cases were recorded this time. “This tendency creates a high risk of manipulation,” she said.
In addition, regarding polling stations abroad, she said that the right of observers to observe in Greece is restricted.
12:15 – Coalition for Change Leader Nika Melia Casting Vote
Nika Melia, one of the leaders of the opposition Coalition for Change, cast his vote.
11:10 – GYLA Briefing on Violations by 11 a.m
The Director of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), Nona Kurdovanidze, held a briefing on the electoral violations identified by 11 a.m. “The electoral process began with significant violations,” she said. Kurdovanidze highlighted several key issues, including:
- Delays in the opening of several polling stations;
- In Rustavi District #27, a registrar showed voters a paper with GD’s number 41 highlighted, encouraging them to vote for GD;
- In Marneuli precinct #35, a person allegedly supporting GD voted twice;
- Some voters were given two ballots in several precincts across the country;
- A GYLA observer was initially denied access to a polling station in Tbilisi’s Vake district; after communication with the district, the issue was resolved.
In addition, Kurdovanidze reported several cases of obstruction of observers, including restrictions on their movement within polling stations, prevention from taking photographs, and denial of the right to appeal.
11:03 – Observer Mission “My Vote” Talks Violations by 10 a.m.
Local observer mission “My Vote” held a briefing on violations identified by 10 a.m.. They found that:
- At 36 polling stations their observers were barred from monitoring the situation;
- 69 polling stations opened late;
- Complaints were filed at 13 polling stations;
- A note was made in the precinct book in 17 precincts;
- 25 cases of voters receiving 2 ballots;
- Technical problems in the electronic technology used during registration in some precincts around Georgia;
- In two precincts in Athens “My Vote” observers were barred from monitoring the situation.
The representative of the Mission, Londa Toloraia, mentions the concrete precincts where the violations were identified and also reiterates the cases that ISFED identified in its briefing held earlier.
10:58 – CEC: Voter Turnout 9,27 % at 10:00
324,197 persons, accounting for 9.27% of the total number of registered voters, cast a ballot in the parliamentary elections across Georgia by 10:00, two hours after the polling stations were opened, according to the Central Election Commission (CEC).
10:40 – GD Honorary Chair Cast his Vote
Bidzina Ivanishvili said after casting his vote: “I call on citizens to come and vote. It’s a very easy choice: either we choose a government that will serve you, the Georgian people and Georgian society, our homeland, or you choose foreign agents, who will carry out only the orders of the foreign country. What is also different about this election is that this foreign country has certain interests that it can immediately give to the foreign agents if we choose them.
You know there is a war in the neighborhood. The country that controls an agency network which, unfortunately, is in politics today, has an urgent task to fulfill to somehow drag Georgia into war. I assure you, this won’t require lots of time, it can be done quickly. So instead of taking care of the development of the country, we will get a disaster and the ruins of the country.
Moreover, we should manage to cleanse the politics of criminals through these elections. We must achieve a qualitatively new society, without such antagonism, hate speech, and polarization. The basis of polarization is that one part of the politicians try to lead the country to a peaceful haven and to victory, and the other part, which serves a foreign country and is known as a network of agencies, does what is in the interest of a foreign country. And the only manifestation of this interest today is the war, which is going on in our region.”
10:55 – Ex-President Giorgi Margvelashvili Cast his Vote
Ex-president, now member of the opposition coalition Strong Georgia, Giorgi Margelashvili cast his vote. He noted the high turnout in his polling station, saying it was a “clear signal” that the government should change. “What we see at the polling stations is the overall victory of the opposition.
10:35 – Unity-UNM Leader Tina Bokuchava Votes
Unity-UNM leader Tina Bokuchava arrived at the polling station with her minor children to vote. “Today I voted for a European future for my children… I am sure that the absolute majority of Georgian citizens will indeed choose a European future for their children, for our country, and thus our country will return to the path of European integration,” she said.
10:25 – Tbilisi Mayor Kakha kaladze Cast his Vote
Tbilisi Mayor and Georgian Dream’s Secretary General, Kakha Kaladze cast his vote, telling journalists after voting: “Once again, I want to call everyone to color 41 so that there is peace in the country, economic development and prosperity for every citizen.”
10:24 – Coalition Strong Georgia Leader Mamuka Khazaradze Cast his Vote
Coalition Strong Georgia Leader Mamuka Khazaradze cast his vote, telling journalists after: “I am sure that our country will make the right choice. This choice will be for freedom, for Europe, for a stable peace and, above all, for a real alternative. The fact that there are queues at the precincts is a sign that the 12-year rule of the oligarchy… this cascade of lies should end in the country, and in fact the citizens have realized that their participation is the most important. This country belongs to each and every one of you, and this activism points to that.”
10:15 – Coalition for Change Leader Nika Gvaramia Casting his Vote
One of the leaders of the Coalition for Change, Nika Gvaramia, cast his vote. “I voted for Georgia’s European future, I voted for the coalition government and said no to the past,” he said, adding, “The opposition will definitely win and there will be a celebration,” he told journalists.
10:00 – ISFED Briefing on Violations by 10 a.m.
The Chair of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), Nino Dolidze, held a briefing on the violations identified so far. ISFED observers are in about 1000 precincts, 235 out of precincts, 45 precincts abroad, 73 precinct commission observers, 85 mobile groups. ISFED identified so far:
- 75% of precincts were ready to begin voting by 8 a.m.; other precincts opened between 08:20-08:30 a.m;
- In most cases, ISFED observers were allowed to enter the precincts without any problems, but there were instances of preventing observers from entering the building or turning them away. ISFED observers weren’t allowed into Mtsketa’s 41st Precinct and Rustavi’s 58th Precinct, both of which are located in the Penitentiary. In Zugdidi’s 9th and 12th districts, the observer was thrown out.
- ISFED identified 3 cases of attempted voter bribery: Tkibuli First precinct, Akhmeti 17th precinct, Tbilisi Chughureti Third precinct. In one case, the bribe was 100 GEL;
- Zestaponi 3rd precinct opened late and GD representative brought in a voter and ISFED wrote a note about it;
- Two cases of unauthorized person at the precincts in Batumi 5th precinct and Dmanisi 50th precinct;
- An instance of a person voting outside the precinct;
- In some precincts, the registration tables and voting cabins are too close to the wall to allow observers to monitor the registration process;
- Cases of more than 2 ballots given to a voter in: Kobuleti 15th precinct, Samgori 51th precinct, Batumi 10th precinct, Kvareli 3rd precinct, Mtatsminda 71th precinct.
10:00 – Reported Violations in the First Two Hours of the Elections
Media has reported different types of violations in different precincts in Georgia:
- Two ballots per voter reported by Publika;
- Hidden marking fluid at 38th precinct – according to opposition members and observers, the fluid used didn’t show up on the fingers. The voting process is stopped, as reported by TV Pirveli;
- Georgian Dream’s observer tore up the complaint written about her on live TV, showed by TV Pirveli;
09:27 – Physical Confrontation in Zugdidi’s 9th Precinct
A physical confrontation took place in the 9th precinct of Zugdidi, according to video footage published by Mtavari TV. United National Movement member Ana Tsitlidze stated that the confrontation started because Georgian Dream’s party goon Giorgi Jikia attacked voters and members of the precinct commission. Police has been mobilized at the precinct.
09:25 – Edison Research Executive VP Reports Complications Setting Up Interviews with CEC
Edison Research Executive VP, Rob Farbman reported on X: “We are having an unusual amount of interference setting up interviewers for our exit poll – election officials refusing to allow us despite our CEC permission letter. Many more than in previous elections. In past elections the CEC has been very helpful contacting the local officials that are prohibiting us from polling and setting them straight that we are legally allowed to conduct our poll. I will update if they do this but so far no help.”
09:09 – Coalition Unity – NM Leader Giorgi Vashadze Cast his Vote
Coalition Unity – National Movement leader Giorgi Vashadze cast his vote. He told journalists: “I participated in the referendum. We all support the move towards Europe, the prosperity in Europe. I refused to be isolated in this country. Georgia has great prospects. I would like to say to all my compatriots that today is a decisive day, which will determine how we will live in the country for the next decades. Therefore, we ask everyone to go to the polls and participate.”
09:00 – Ex-Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia Cast his Vote
Former Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition party For Georgia, Giorgi Gakharia cast his vote. He told journalists after the vote: “I am sure that Georgia will win today. I am sure and I really want that after these elections no one will be defeated. I am sure and I really want that we will be able to overcome our differences so that after these elections there will be no revenge and all parties will agree that free, democratic and fair elections are the solution for everyone.”
08:41 – Coalition for Change Leader Zurab Japaridze Cast his Vote
One of the leaders of the Coalition for Change, Zurab Japaridze already cast his vote. He told journalists after the voting: “Today will be a historic day for this country, I am sure that the citizens of this country will make a choice that will lead this country to the European Union, to NATO, and in six years this country will be a full member of the European Union, and I have a feeling that we will achieve peace. I voted for it and I am sure that the absolute majority of Georgian citizens will do the same.”
08:35 – Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze Cast his Vote
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze cast his vote. He told journalists after the vote: “This is a very principled, decisive election, tantamount to a referendum and the 2012 elections, where the course of the country’s development will be decided once and for all. This is a referendum between war and peace, between immoral propaganda and traditional values, and between the dark past and the bright future of the country.”
“We have a very optimistic forecast, expecting up to 60 percent of the vote,” PM added, but when asked if the government would leave office peacefully, he insisted: “I call on all political parties to accept the results published by the CEC.”
08:35 – Parliament’s Speaker Cast his Vote
Speaker of the Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili cast his vote. He told journalists after the vote: “Georgian Dream is the only choice that the Georgian people have today. Because today there is a choice between evil and good. Today there is a choice between godlessness and spirituality.”
08:15 – President Salome Zurabishvili Cast her Vote
President Salome Zurabishvili was the first reported official to cast her ballot shortly after the polls opened. “I voted this time not for “who,” but for “what,” for a new Georgia, for the Georgia I came to this country 22 years ago. I voted for the Georgia that all my ancestors prayed for. We will all be victorious tonight. Georgia will win,” Zurabishvili told the media.
08:00 – Voting Kicks Off
More than 3,000 polling stations were opened at 8 a.m. across Georgia. 3,508,294 Georgian citizens are eligible to vote until 8 p.m. Most of them will vote using new voting technologies. There are 135,922 first-time voters. A total of 95,910 people are voting from abroad.
Friday, October 25
21:57 – Mass Departure From Capital as Citizens Head to Regions to Vote
On the eve of the voting day, citizens registered in the regions are leaving the capital in large numbers to cast their ballots tomorrow. Traffic jams near the exit from Tbilisi are reported throughout the day.
19:00 – President Addresses Georgian Citizens Hours Before Elections
Hours before the start of the elections in Georgia, President Salome Zurabishvili addressed Georgian citizens, urging them to go to the polls tomorrow. She thanked everyone for their efforts to protect their vote, be it the people who had to stand in line to travel to their regions where they are registered to vote, or the expatriates who had to fight for the opening of polling stations in their countries, thanking especially the Georgians in Israel, as well as the expatriates who will have to travel far tomorrow because there is only one precinct in their countries. She also thanked the youth who will be voting for the first time tomorrow and the young activists who will be observing tomorrow’s elections.
The President emphasized that the vote that everyone will cast will be based on their own choices, wishes and ideas, told everyone to remember that voting is secret and no one will find out who they voted for, and finally promised that as President she will make sure that the process is peaceful and that no one will be punished for voting, calling on everyone not to be afraid and to make sure that they participate in the elections.
19:08 – U.S. Congressman Wilson Condems the Recent Raids
U.S. Congressman and Helsinki Commission Chairman Joe Wilson (R-SC 2nd District) expressed his concern over the raids on the homes of Atlantic Council staffers Eto Buziashvili and Sopo Gelava. “I unequivocally condemn the raids. That this happened two days before the critical national election is especially troubling. I am confident the raids will not yield any results except to prove Ms. Buziashvili and Ms. Gelava are patriots of their country. There should be accountability for those in the Investigation Department of the Finance Ministry who clearly have abused their powers,” reads Congressman Wilson’s statement.
19:00 – Students’ March: “Come to the Elections, Let Georgia Hear Your Voice”
Students who vote in Tbilisi held a march on Rustaveli Street hours before the elections, calling on all citizens to go to the polls tomorrow and vote for the country’s European future. The students stressed that these elections are of existential importance and are a kind of referendum in which Georgia should choose between Russia and the EU.
NBG Sells More Dollars
The National Bank of Georgia (NBG) has sold USD 60 million in a foreign exchange auction. This is the fourth time the NBG has sold international reserves ahead of elections to prevent the national currency from depreciatiation.
15:51 – Peskov: Russia Has No Influence on Elections in Georgia, While the West Interferes
The Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Peskov told journalists that “Russia has no influence on the electoral processes in Georgia and Moldova.” He said that it was up to the Georgians to make “appropriate decisions” and said that Moscow sees unprecedented attempts by the West to interfere in the elections. “They are not only trying to twist Tbilisi’s arms, they are literally trying to dictate terms. Here, of course, it is hard to imagine how the proud Georgian people will tolerate such ultimatums, which are poured on them every day,” the Kremlin spokesman added.
14:35 – ISFED Head Assesses Pre-election Atmosphere
Nino Dolidze, director of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), a key election observer, assessed the pre-election atmosphere.
“Georgia entered the pre-election campaign under a strong political polarization,” which she said followed the adoption of the Russian-style Foreign Agents Law, despite massive and continuous protests and opposition from society at large and the country’s Western partners. She added that the passage of the law was accompanied by a campaign of intimidation and discrediting of civil society and government critics.
She also said that the government has been using anti-Western and anti-EU rhetoric and exploiting the tragedy of the war in Ukraine for political purposes.
“Each political party was more or less able to conduct a pre-election campaign,” Dolidze noted, but added: “During the campaign, the ruling party enjoyed an important advantage due to the administrative resources on its side.” She noted that employees of the budget institutions “actively” participated in the ruling party’s campaign events.
In addition, she noted that the pre-election environment was marred by allegations of the confiscation of people’s IDs, which went unanswered by the authorities. She also noted that several cases of violations were recorded. She also noted that the media environment has become polarized, saying that several decisions by the Communications Commission have “created doubts and risks”. She added: “In parallel with disinformation and information manipulation in the country, Russian information operations in the political process have been significantly activated, especially in social media networks.” She said these Russian-linked networks spread anti-EU messages while supporting the government.
ISFED will deploy 1500 observers to every polling station across Georgia.
12:42 – OSCE/ODIHR Mission Meets with Political Parties
Representatives of the OSCE/ODIHR monitoring mission met with the ruling Georgian Dream and opposition parties.
After the meeting, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that no questions were raised about the use of administrative resources or reports about the confiscation of officials’ ID cards for possible vote rigging. He described the meeting as “very good” and “very positive”. “We talked about the election process, how the pre-election campaign is going, what is the political situation in Georgia, what are the main agendas of the political parties, and in general what are our expectations about the elections,” said Maka Botchorishvili, Chair of the EU Integration Committee of Georgian Parliament.
The mission also met with opposition parties. “Their main question was how the opposition is going to defend the votes, to what extent they are involved in protecting the votes, and what information we can give them. We provided information on everything, how the pre-election process is going, [including] the facts of violence and attacks,” Giorgi Butikashvili, a member of the Coalition for Change, told journalists.
CEC Chair Meets with Heads of NDI and IRI Observer Missions
CEC Chairman Giorgi Kalandarishvili met with the heads of NDI and IRI observer missions. According to the CEC press release CEC chairman noted that the organization is ready for the conduct of the elections “according to the international standards.”
11:00 – Parliament Speaker Claims Pre-election Violations Against GD
Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili presented the ruling party’s final report on pre-election violations, citing “violations and intimidation, voter buying, use of administrative resources, negative campaigning, obstruction of campaigning, disinformation, foreign interference and undeclared campaigning,” all of which he claimed were directed against the GD.
In the examples of alleged violations and intimidation that he cited, he highlighted citizens’ frustration with the majority MPs. The reality, however, was an encounter of peaceful citizens confronting MPs who had voted for the Foreign Agents Law. He also pointed to alleged misuse of administrative resources, citing President Salome Zurabishvili’ had use’s use of the presidential palace for talks with opposition leaders. He also denounced what he described as foreign interference from the West, citing critical statements by the European Parliament, a joint statement from 13 EU member states, and the October 20 “Georgia Chooses EU” rally, which he said was organized by local CSOs and funded from abroad.
Papuashvili also condemned local CSOs for ignoring these “violations” allegedly directed at the ruling party and accused Western partners of interfering in Georgia’s political affairs.
Thursday, October 24
23:29 – Atlantic Council’s Statement on Home Raids of its Employees
Atlantic Council’s vice president for technology programs and strategy, as well as the senior director of the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), Graham Brookie issued a statement on X, expressing the organization’s “deep concern” about its two employees’ – Sopo Gelava and Eto Buziashvili – houses being raided days before the elections.
“We trust that Georgian authorities will provide more clarity on their actions, ensure the safety and security of our staff, return their property, and allow them to continue their contributions to Georgian democracy. The Atlantic Council has long been a champion of a democratic and independent Georgia and its aspirations to join the institutions of the transatlantic community. The Digital Forensic Research Lab publishes research that highlights the importance of discourse and objective information as a foundation of free, open, and democratic countries. The Atlantic Council will continue its work in Georgia in the spirit of its mission of shaping the global future together with partners and allies. We will continue to monitor the situation closely,” reads the statement.
21:00 President’s Press-Conference with Georgian and International Journalists
On October 24, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili held a press conference for Georgian and international journalists. She answered questions about the Georgian Charter, what will happen after the elections, the electoral environment, her plans, relations with the USA and the EU, and other issues. Her main messages were that Georgians will vote peacefully and through the elections Georgia will return to the EU path and start accession negotiations, on which she received assurances from EU leaders. One of the journalists referred to renowned investigative journalist Christo Grozev’s alleged report that Russian special services don’t believe that the GD will win and suggested to the GD government to explicitly rig the elections and then violently suppress the popular protests. The president expressed confidence that pro-European forces would win the elections and refused to consider even theoretical scenarios in which the elections would be followed by violence. She also said, half-smiling, that if GD wins, she will probably be impeached and imprisoned.
As for her plans, she said that she will be where the Georgian nation needs her to support the return to the EU path. She criticized the GD government for aggravating polarization, creating atmosphere of fear, and trying to intimidate and threaten voters, and criticized the Central Election Commission for creating obstacles for Georgian expatriates to vote. Salome Zurabishvili said that she would present the prime ministerial candidate as prescribed by the Georgian Charter after October 26 elections, as some parties did not agree to present the candidate before the elections. She also said that the first decisions of the new coalition government will be to stop the anti-democratic legislation and to start negotiations with the EU as well as to reset relations with the strategic partner USA.
19:15 – Government Classifies CEC as Facility of Strategic Importance
The government issued a decree classifying the Central Election Commission (CEC) building as a facility of strategic or special importance. Under the Criminal Code, the seizure or blockage of such a facility is punishable by up to two years’ imprisonment, and if committed by a group, by two to five years’ imprisonment. The move comes three days before elections that many fear could be followed by public tensions and possible protests.
In addition to the CEC building, several court buildings, government administration buildings, state institution buildings, and even the Patriarchate have been qualified as facilities of strategic and special importance. Notably, the list does not include the Parliament.
15:49 – Ex-PM Gakharia Addresses Law Enforcers
Former Prime Minister and current leader of the opposition party “For Georgia” Giorgi Gakharia addressed the police during a briefing, calling on them to serve the country and the citizens, not the ruling party. He began his speech by praising the work of Georgian law enforcement officers, who have often served the country at the risk of their lives, and told them that he would never call on them to vote for this or that party. Gakharia told them that now is the time for them to stop serving “party bosses” who will soon take their money and flee the country, leaving the police here to face the next government and Georgian citizens. He concluded by stressing to them that the police should let Georgians make the choice in a free and fair environment, the choice that is “just, European, national and [for] a developed state.”
Interior Minister Announces Riot Police Have New Equipment
Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri told journalists that the Ministry has purchased new water cannon vehicles and new equipment for riot police, including automatic weapons and guns. Asked if and when the ministry plans to use them, Gomelauri said: “Whenever it will be necessary.”
Meanwhile, both the Interior Minister and the Prime Minister have expressed gratitude to U.S.-sanctioned senior MIA officials: Zviad Kharazishvili [a.k.a. “Khareba”] and his deputy Mileri Lagazauri for their “service” to the country.
Finance Ministry: “Searches Conducted in So-Called Call Centers”
The Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia said that it had conducted searches in three alleged so-called call centers. The statement follows reports of several searches conducted by the Ministry’s Investigation Service. Those searched include two employees of the American think-tank Atlantic Council, an American business process outsourcing company Concentrix, citizen Valeri Tkeshelashvili, and stand-up comedian Onise Tskhadadze. Although the official statement from the Ministry of Finance does not name any of them in the statement, the investigation into call centers is likely related to several, if not all, of these searches.
12:10 – House of Another Atlantic Council Employee Searched
The Investigative Service of the Ministry of Finance searched the home of another Atlantic Council employee, Eto Buziashvili, RFE/RL’s Georgian Service reported. Civil.ge contacted the Ministry for more details.
11:00 – Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze Pledges Ambitious Goals
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze made bold pre-election claims at a government meeting: Among other things, he compared the GD rally turnout to the “Georgia Chooses EU” march, announced the completion of the Anaklia port by 2029, and promised 200,000 new jobs, annual pension increases, and housing for 6,000 IDP families. Kobakhidze also reaffirmed Georgia’s EU accession by 2030, with two main national goals: restoring territorial integrity and eradicating poverty. Decisions crucial to the country’s “stable and peaceful development” will be taken on October 26, he said.
10:25 – Politicians and NGO representative’s House Searched
The house of one of the leaders of newly established party Federalist’s, Giorgi Noniashvili and his wife, Sopo Gelava was searched. Police took away all electronic gadgets, including their child’s laptop. According to some reports, the search is connected to an investigation into NGO Atlantic Council’s contractor company. Sopo Gelava is Atlantic Council’s employee.
Wednesday, October 23
21:10 – Attack on For Georgia party member
Levan Gogichaishvili of the “For Georgia” party led by ex-PM Giorgi Gakharia was attacked by up to 20 people in the metro on his way to Palitranews TV to participate in the program.
21:00 – Edison Research, Gorbi’s Contrasting Pre-Election Polls
Results of the final pre-election Gorbi poll, commissioned by pro-government Imedi TV, were released today, predicting a confident victory of the ruling Georgian Dream party with 60.2 percent of votes. Next come UNM-led Unity to Save Georgia with 15.4% and Coalition for Change (Ahali+Girchi-More Freedom+Droa) with 9% of votes. According to the Gorbi poll, none of the remaining parties/coalitions passed the 5% threshold, with Lelo-led Strong Georgia ending up at 3.3%, while For Georgia led by ex-Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia is ranked at 2.9%, alongside libertarian Girchi (2.8%).
Opposition-leaning Formula TV also published final pre-election polls by Edison Research today with dramatically different results where opposition dominates the race: Georgian Dream – 34%, UNM/Unity – 18%, Coalition for Change – 14%, Gakharia’s For Georgia – 11%, Strong Georgia – 10%, Labor Party – 5%, Girchi – 4%, and Alliance of Patriots/Alt-Info – 3%.
ComCom Ruled that Pro-government Media Broke the Law
The Communications Commission upheld the complaints by the opposition Strong Georgia and Gakharia – For Georgia parties and issued a protocol of administrative violation against the pro-government Imedi TV and Rustavi 2 for not airing their political ads.
NBG Sells More Dollars
The National Bank of Georgia (NBG) has sold USD 60 million in a foreign exchange auction. This is the third time the NBG has sold international reserves ahead of elections to prevent the national currency from depreciatiation. The NBG decided to sell international reserves “in order to prevent excessive influence of non-fundamental factors and the traditionally characteristic frenzy of the pre-election period”.
Court Suspebds Proceedings Against CEC Chair
The Tbilisi City Court has suspended the proceedings in the case brought by Giorgi Sioridze, the opposition member of the Central Election Commission from the “Strong Georgia” coalition, against the CEC Chairman Giorgi Kalandarishvili, who allegedly violated CEC regulations by not initiating a vote on Sioridze’s initiatives during the CEC meetings. One of these initiatives was to open an additional polling station in Strasbourg, France, where Georgia has a permanent representation and a large number of expatriates. Another initiative was to equalize the salaries of the members of the CEC precinct commissions. Judge Salome Gvelesiani cited the irrelevance of the article, which was contested by Sioridze, as the reason for stopping the proceedings.
12:00 – Savanta Public Opinion Poll Results
Savanta, a British company, released the results of a public opinion poll commissioned by the Media Freedom Fund for Mtavari TV. The survey polled 1,520 randomly selected eligible voters across Georgia, excluding the occupied territories. The margin of error is ±2.51%, with a confidence level of 95%. To the question on which party people would vote if elections were conducted today, people answered:
- Georgian Dream – People’s Power – 35%
- Coalition for Change – 19%
- Unity – National Movement – 16%
- Strong Georgia – 9%
- Gakharia – For Georgia – 8%
- Girchi – 3%;
- Georgia’s Patriots Alliance – 3%;
- Georgian Labor Party – 2%;
- Others – 5%
In this scenario, the ruling Georgian Dream would have 61 MPs in Parliament, while the four opposition parties would have a combined majority of 89 MPs.
11:00 Parliament Speaker Accuses CSOs of Exaggerating Pre-Election Violations
Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili held a briefing questioning the seriousness of campaign violations cited by local CSOs, accusing them of exaggeration of campaign violations and attempts to manipulate statistics to create “informational noise” ahead of the elections. He said a total of 53 complaints had been registered with the election commission, most of them, he said, “petty,” alleging that officials violated election rules by using administrative resources to support or agitate for the ruling party, mainly through online media such as Facebook. He also slammed several CSOs, including Transparency International-Georgia, accusing them of having “declared election goals.” He also claimed that local observer organizations are preparing to repeat the 2020 elections scenario and issue falsified reports about elections to create a pretext for social unrest and coup.
Tuesday, October 22
President to Present PM Candidate After the Elections
Four days before the elections, President Salome Zurabishvili gave an interview to the opposition-leaning Formula TV in which she spoke about the elections, the campaign environment and her plans. She said that she would present her candidate for Prime Minister after the elections, not before as she had previously indicated. She reiterated that the four main political forces that are expected to pass the threshold and are signatories to the Georgian Charter are responsible before her for fulfilling the Charter.
Coalition Strong Georgia Member Arrested for Attacking a Transgender Woman
The Ministry of Internal Affairs arrested Davit Peradze, a member of Ana Dolidze’s “For People” party and the number 53 on the party list of the “Strong Georgia” coalition, for attacking a well-known trans woman, Nata Talikashvili, by hitting her on the head in the street. The MIA opened an investigation under Article 126 of the Criminal Code. The Coalition addressed the arrest in a comment to Formula TV, saying: “It must be said unequivocally that we condemn all violence and call on the law enforcement authorities to investigate the facts immediately and objectively. Together with the public, we await the report of the investigation. We are ready to take all necessary political measures as soon as the results of the objective investigation are available.”
Georgian Patriarchate Issues Statement Ahead of October 26 Elections
On October 22, the Georgian Patriarchate issued a statement on the upcoming elections in Georgia, saying “We have repeatedly stated that the Orthodox Church of Georgia, as the greatest unifier and benefactor of our nation and country, cannot be a political side, although it will unequivocally support the choice that will bring long-term peace to Georgia and the strengthening of values in society that will help strengthen Christian and family traditions.” The statement comes just days after the government’s decision to donate large plots of land in several Georgian villages to the church.
Occupied Abkhazia to Increase Security in Gali During Elections
Raul Lolua, the secretary of the de facto security council of occupied Abkhazia, stated that on the orders of the de-facto leader of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, additional law enforcement units will be sent to the Gali region during the elections in Georgia to ensure that the region is prepared for “any provocations.” He links the possible deterioration of the situation along the Inguri River with the upcoming parliamentary elections in Georgia and statements about the possibility of “opening a second front” against Abkhazia. According to Lolua, some Georgian politicians are calling for maximum mobilization of the army and expressing the desire to “fight no worse than Ukraine.”
IRI Deploys Short-Term Observers for Georgia’s Parliamentary Elections
The International Republican Institute (IRI) announced the arrival of its short-term observers as part of its ongoing international election observation mission for Georgia’s October 26 parliamentary elections. The mission is led by former U.S. Representative John Shimkus, Swedish MP Margareta Cederfeldt, and IRI President Dr. Daniel Twining. 28 observers will join 20 long-term observers, who have been on the ground since July, expanding the mission’s capacity to monitor and assess the integrity of the electoral process.
“The strength of Georgia’s democratic process is crucial to ensuring the country continues on its path toward European integration,” said Swedish MP Margareta Cederfeldt. “Our observation efforts on Election Day will provide crucial insight into the integrity of the process and Georgia’s adherence to democratic norms, which are essential for its future in the EU.”
“Georgia’s path to democracy is the central question in these elections,” said IRI President Dr. Daniel Twining. “We look forward to being on the ground to ensure they reflect the will of the Georgian people, whom IRI polls show overwhelmingly want to live in a democratic society and join the West.”
Monday, October 21
Government Gifts Land Plots to the Georgian Orthodox Church
According to the government decrees signed by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and publicized today, land has been given to the Orthodox Church of Georgia last week. The October 17 decree shows that the church was given 3,610 sq/m and 160 sq/m land plots in the village of Shuasurebi, Chokhatauri district for 1 GEL. The same decree shows that 300 sq/m of land in the village of Salibauri, Khelvachauri district, was also given to the church for 1 GEL. Another decree dated October 18 shows that the government transferred 1619 sq/m of non-agricultural land and the buildings/structures on it on Jordania Street in the town of Lanchkhuti free of charge for 99 years.
Government Announces October 25 as Holiday
Based on the address of the Central Election Commission, the Government Administration decided to declare October 25, one day before the elections, as a day off. The decision is based on the fact that more than half of the polling stations in Georgia are located in public schools, kindergartens and other public institutions. In particular, out of 3 031 precincts, 483 are in kindergartens and 1675 are in schools. Due to the fact that the precincts need certain works and equipment to be installed there, the Government decided to declare October 25 as a holiday to allow the works to continue without interfering with the working days of public servants.
The National Democratic Institute (NDI) Deploys International Delegation to Observe Elections in Georgia
The delegation includes 22 political and civic leaders, elections experts, and regional specialists from nine countries; they join six thematic long-term analysts who were deployed in July. The leaders of the delegation are the Honorable Tom Malinowski, former United States Congressman and former Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; Ambassador Per Eklund, former European Union Ambassador to Georgia; and Dr. Tamara Cofman Wittes, NDI’s President.
TI Georgia Report on ‘Misuse of Administrative Resources in Parliamentary Elections 2024’
The local watchdog Transparency International Georgia released its interim report on “Misuse of Administrative Resources in Parliamentary Elections 2024.” The monitoring was conducted from July 1 to October 15 with findings showing that the line between the ruling party and the state has effectively been erased, which is a “serious problem for the fairness of the election environment.”
For Georgia Speaks of Pre-Election Violations
The Deputy Chair of the opposition For Georgia party, Natia Mezvrishvili, held a briefing claiming that the people who shone lasers at President Salome Zurabishvili during the huge pro-EU rally the day before were those who had previously attacked For Georgia members on several occasions. According to her, some of these people are members of the GD youth organization. She also said that the Special Investigation Service has not responded to the cases.
My Vote Speaks of Pre-Election Violations
A representative of the My Vote Election Observation Mission, Londa Toloraia, held a weekly briefing on pre-election violations. She spoke about recent media reports of alleged cases of confiscation of ID cards and other personal data from people working in the public sector and their family members, although the relevant bodies, including the Personal Data Protection Service, the Special Investigation Service and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, have remained silent. According to her, the government agencies are providing this information to the ruling party so that it can better control its voters and possibly manipulate the elections. There is also an ongoing disinformation campaign by the GD as if voting through electronic technologies is not secret.
My Vote will have a total of 4200 observers throughout the country, in all electoral districts, Toloraia said.
Sunday, October 20
ComCom Ruled that Pro-government Media Broke the Law
The Communications Commission upheld the opposition Unity-UNM’s complaint and issued a protocol of administrative violation against the pro-government Rustavi 2 channel for not airing the coalition’s political ad. According to ComCom, Rustavi 2 has not aired the Unity-UNM ad since October 10.
‘Georgia Chooses EU’ Rally Ahead of October 26 Elections
Exactly six days before the crucial parliamentary elections in Georgia, Georgians took to the streets of Tbilisi in a rally titled “Georgia Chooses EU” to show the world that Georgians are committed to voting for pro-Western parties on October 26. The rally began with a march from five different locations in Tbilisi, with crowds converging on Freedom Square. The night was accompanied by a concert by popular Georgian musicians and speeches by CSO representatives, activists and the President. According to various estimations, around 90,000 to 100,000 people participated in the rally.
Saturday, October 19
GD Rally Held in Kutaisi
As part of its regional tour, the ruling party held another rally in the western Georgian city of Kutaisi. The rally followed the same script as GD’s earlier similar gatherings, with speeches by leading GD figures- party Chair Irakli Garibashvili, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, Parliamentary Majority Leader Mamuka Mdinaradze, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, followed by the closing speech by Honorary Chair Bidzina Ivanishvili. He again slammed the previous UNM government and its rule, while praising the Georgian Dream including for “continuous peace.” He again hammered home the party’s “promises” to ban the opposition, crack down on LGBT, prepare a constitutional order to restore territorial integrity, and strengthen the role of the Orthodox Church in the Constitution if the GD wins a constitutional majority.
Friday, October 18
GD-Affiliated Officials Allegedly Confiscate IDs of Opposition-Minded Civil Servants
According to recent reports, Georgian Dream officials are allegedly confiscating ID cards from opposition-supporting civil servants in the regions of Georgia. The issue was first raised by members of the opposition coalition Unity – National Movement, Ana Tsitlidze and Tamar Kordzaia, who cited some cases in their separate briefings. Their allegations were followed by a journalistic investigation by Mtavari TV, which also found evidence of the practice in Rustavi. The Rustavi Mayor has already denied the allegations and the Public Defender has called on law enforcement agencies to invastigate the cases.
CEC Announces Total Number of Voters
The total number of voters for the upcoming elections is 3,508,294, the Central Election Spokesperson Natia Ioseliani announced at a briefing. The majority of them, 3,113,747, will vote using the new electronic technologies. Ioseliani noted that of the total number of voters, 135,922 are first-time voters. In addition, there are 95,910 Georgian voters living abroad.
OSCE PA to Observe Election Day
A team of 60 OSCE parliamentarians and staff will be deployed throughout Georgia to observe the October 26 elections. The team will be briefed on the pre-election situation by the election administration, civil society, candidates, party representatives and experts before being deployed to various regions of Georgia to observe election day. The OSCE PA team will work closely with the ODIHR Election Observation Mission and partner delegations from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and the European Parliament, said the OSCE PA press release. “Our large delegation is a clear signal of the great interest of the international community in Georgia’s upcoming elections,” said OSCE PA President Pia Kauma (Finland), who is leading the OSCE PA delegation.
Thursday, October 17
ComCom Ruled Pro-Government Media Violated the Law
The Communications Commission upheld the opposition Unity-UNM’s complaint against the pro-government channels Imedi, POSTV and Studio Maestro for not broadcasting UNM’s political ads. The UNM’s ads have not been broadcast on these three channels since October 10. In addition, ComCom ruled that POSTV had violated the law by not disclosing details of the public opinion polls. Now, only if the court decides to uphold ComCom’s decision will the pro-government media be fined for not broadcasting the ads.
Coalition for Change Unveils “Plan 4-4-4”
Nika Gvaramia, one of the leaders of the Coalition for Change, announced the coalition’s plan to present initiatives in four policy priorities just four days after the formation of the parliamentary majority, should it be formed by the opposition forces. These are: 1. the opening of EU accession talks; 2. the repeal of the Foreign Agents Law and other anti-democratic legislation; 3. tax cuts for small and medium-sized enterprises; 4. bringing education funding up to the EU average by 2028. Gvaramia reiterated the coalition’s support for the President’s Georgian Charter and reaffirmed its commitment to a technical government, whether appointed before or after the elections.
Wednesday, October 16
President Refuses to Attend Interdepartmental Commission Session
Justice Minister Rati Bregadze told journalists that President Salome Zurabishvili was invited to attend today’s meeting of the interdepartmental commission, but she refused to appear and the Ministry will send another invitation to the Presidential Administration, asking for a representative to attend the next session. The reason for her invitation is her statement made on October 8, when she announced the creation of the Coordination Platform at the Orbeliani Palace on the day of the elections “to monitor everything that will happen on that day” and “to celebrate the victory together.” According to the Justice Minister, such an initiative could have elements that violate the electoral code.
PM Grants State Protection to CEC Head
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has signed a decree granting state protection to the head of the Central Election Commission, Giorgi Kalandarishvili. According to the document, dated October 10, the protection was necessary before the elections due to the “relevant conditions until the necessity expires.” The protection will be provided by the Special State Protection Service.
Tuesday, October 15
ISFED Speaks of Voter Pressure
International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) reported cases of pressure on voters by persons involved in the pre-election campaign in support of the ruling party. The cases included the demand and temporary handing over of identity cards, the handing over of lists of probable supporters of the ruling party, the distribution of goods, petrol vouchers and gifts in exchange for support, and the spreading of disinformation, as if the people’s vote would not be secret through electronic technologies.
ISFED urged voters not to provide their personal information, including IDs, to anyone, and reminded voters that voting is secret. The organization also called on the relevant authorities to investigate the cases.
Opposition Politicians against GD’s “War Banners”
Opposition Unity-UNM members Khatia Dekanoidze and Gigi Ugulava released a video showing them smearing white paint on Georgian Dream banners, which contrast the war in Ukraine with the peace in Georgia offered by the the ruling party.
GD MP and Parliamentary Majority Leader Mamuka Mdinaradze reacted to the incident, saying that Dekanoidze and Ugulava should be held accountable under the criminal article and that by erasing the phrase “No to war” from the banner, they showed that they remained “loyal” to the war.
Monday, October 14
15:30 – Georgian Ministry of Education, Science and Youth Denies Claims of Illegally Collecting Personal Data
The Georgian Ministry of Education, Science and Youth has denied the information spread by President Salome Zurabishvili that personal data of children is being collected in schools for specific purposes.
The Ministry said in its statement that the spreading of such “disinformation” is aimed at discrediting the education system. The Ministry said that asking pupils for updated information about their parents is a routine procedure and that schools regularly update the information in the system, namely parent/legal representative, contact phone number, email address and home address. “We call on specific individuals to refrain from spreading misinformation, which serves to deliberately mislead the public,” the statement said.
President Salome Zurabishvili wrote on her Facebook page that children are asked for their parents’ personal numbers in schools, which is a violation of personal data. The same concern was voiced earlier in the day by the representative of the electoral observation mission “My Vote”, Londa Toloraia.
11:30 – Observation Mission “My Vote” Talks of Government Pressure on Voters
The representative of the electoral observation mission “My Vote”, Londa Toloraia, held a briefing on the violations identified by civil society in the run-up to the elections. Toloraia said that on 12 October, new cases of the use of administrative resources resurfaced in the media through journalistic investigations, whereby civil servants are asked to collect personal data of their family members and themselves, allegedly to pass this information on to the ruling party. She said the special list became known to the media which include information on civil servants (and their family members) from the MoD, MIA, Gardabani Municipality, State Gas and Oil Corporation and others. She said that the information gives rise to reasonable suspicion that there are facts of illegal acquisition and use of data, abuse and excess of official authority and coercive influence on the voters’ will.
She thus called on the Special Investigation Service and the Public Prosecutor’s Office to investigate the claims and to make the investigation results public. Toloraia also noted that there are reports of public schools asking students for their parents’ personal information, which she asked the Ministry of Education to explain.
Sunday, October 13
13:12 – ComCom Ruled that Pro-government Media Broke the Law
The Communications Commission upheld the opposition Strong Georgia’s complaint and issued a protocol of administrative violation against pro-government TV channels Imedi and Rustavi 2 for not airing the coalition’s political ad. ComCom also stated that Imedi had violated the law for not publishing the information on its opinion polls. Earlier, Imedi TV announced that it had refused to broadcast the campaign ads of the opposition coalitions in response to the refusal of the opposition-leaning channels to broadcast the ads of the GD.
Unity-UNM Office Vandalized
The opposition Unity-UNM said its office in the Varketili district of Tbilisi had been vandalized. The images show the windows of the office broken and bottles of red paint thrown into the office.
Friday, October 11
Three Opposition-leaning media Fined
The Court fined three opposition-leaning channels – Mtavari TV, Formula TV, and TV Pirveli – GEL 5000 (about USD 1841) each for not airing the ruling Georgian Dream party’s political ads juxtaposing war-torn Ukraine with the peace offered by Georgian Dream. [Read more about the case HERE].
OSCE/ODIHR Issues Interim Report
The OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission (EOM) issued its interim report, assessing the election environment and related developments in the run-up to October 26 parliamentary elections. According to the report “the elections take place in the context of entrenched political polarization, continued political tension, opposition distrust in state institutions and concerns about protection of the right to association and expression.”
15:00 – Savanta Public Opinion Poll Results
Savanta, a British company, released the results of a public opinion poll commissioned by the Media Freedom Fund for Mtavari TV. The survey polled 1,561 randomly selected eligible voters across Georgia, excluding the occupied territories. The margin of error is ±2.48%, with a confidence level of 95%. To the question on which party people would vote if elections were conducted tomorrow, people answered:
- Georgian Dream – People’s Power – 36%;
- Coalition for Change – 18%;
- Unity – National Movement – 14%;
- Gakharia – For Georgia – 10%;
- Strong Georgia – 8%;
- Girchi – 3%;
- Georgia’s Patriots Alliance – 3%;
- Georgian Labor Party – 2%;
- Others – 6%.
13:28 – CEC Decides to Open 7 Additional Precincts
The Central Election Commission made the decision to open 7 additional precincts to accommodate the additional voters registered abroad. The cities were these precincts will be opened are: New York, Berlin, Barcelona, Rome, Athens, Thessaloniki, and Paris. More precincts could also be opened based on the updated data the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will provide to CEC after all the requests are fully analyzed.
Thursday, October 10
20:50 – CEC: 95,834 Emigrants Will Vote in October 26 Elections
The Central Election Commission reported that according to the data received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the number of voters with the right to vote abroad is currently 95,834. Previously, the CEC had decided to open 60 precincts in 42 countries, which would accommodate 65,508 expatriates, but now there is a need to open 7 additional precincts in these countries for the additional 30,326 expatriates, taking into account that this number may increase further as the Ministry continues to process the applications received.
This issue will be discussed at the upcoming CEC meeting, along with the issue of not opening a precinct in Israel due to the tense military and political situation there. It’s worth noting that the CEC has already announced that a precinct in Ukraine will not be opened for the same reason.
15:00 – ComCom Allegedly Restricts Gakharia For Georgia’s Free Political Ad Rights
Ex-Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia stated during a briefing that the Communications Commission is restricting his political parties right to have a free political advertisement air on TV channels. According to the regulations, the political party can have a free advertisement on TV if it received at least 4% support in 5 public opinion polls. The Public Broadcaster of Georgia decided to grant the “For Georgia” party the status of a “qualified subject” on the basis of polls conducted by Edison Research on behalf of the opposition-leaning Formula TV. ComCom fined the Public Broadcaster for this decision and asked Formula TV to provide the documentation used by Edison Research to verify the results.
“I want to address Kakha Bekauri personally, I understand very well that slavery is a very easy and quick way to get rich, but the National Communications Regulatory Commission is an independent agency that should serve the citizens of Georgia, especially in the pre-election period, and do everything to ensure that citizens have an opportunity to make an informed choice and I, Giorgi Gakharia want to warn him that the responsibility will be personalized and no one can escape this responsibility,” emphasized Gakharia.
Background for earlier developments:
- 08/10/2024 – Campaign Beat: October 1-7
- 02/10/2024 – Campaign Beat: September 24-30
- 24/09/2024 – Campaign Beat: September 17-23
- 17/09/2024 – Campaign Beat: September 10-16
- 10/09/2024 – Campaign Beat: September 3-9
- 03/09/2024 – Campaign Beat: August 20 – September 2
- 20/08/2024 – Campaign Beat: August 6-19
- 06/08/2024 – Campaign Beat: July 23 – August 5
- 23/07/2024 – Campaign Beat: July 10-22
- 10/07/2024 – Campaign Beat: June 25-July 9
- 25/06/2024 – Campaign Beat: June 10-24
- 30/04/2024 – Campaign Beat: April 16-30
- 16/04/2024 – Campaign Beat: March 30-April 15
- 01/04/2024 – Campaign Beat: March 18-29
In a dramatic turn of events, former President Donald Trump has secured critical victories in several key battleground states, significantly narrowing Vice President Kamala Harris’s path to the White House. As votes continue to be counted, Trump’s leads in crucial swing states, including Florida, Ohio, and Texas, are putting immense pressure on the Biden-Harris campaign as the race for the 2024 U.S. presidency intensifies.
Trump’s strong performance in these states, which are traditionally viewed as pivotal to securing an Electoral College majority, has propelled him to the forefront of the race. His success comes despite an array of challenges faced by his campaign, including opposition from within his own party and ongoing legal battles. In contrast, Kamala Harris, who is now facing the role of leading the Democratic ticket, has yet to break through in several of the same states.
Early results show a tight race in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, where the outcome could ultimately decide the election.
🎙 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey #Lavrov‘s interview to Rossiya Segodnya news agency (November 5, 2024)
🔹 #BRICS
🔹 #MiddleEast
🔹 #NATO
🔹 #Ukraine #UN
🔹 #Transnistria #Moldova
🔹 #USA
🔹#Georgia
🔹#SouthCaucasusRead in full 👉https://t.co/VhxEBEpfsa pic.twitter.com/C8OSNdn51s
— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) November 6, 2024