On 24 December, the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia issued a statement denying allegations of vote-rigging made by President Salome Zurabishvili regarding October 26’s elections. The CEC described the allegations as “absolutely baseless” and “part of a politically motivated disinformation campaign.”
“There are no confirmed facts or evidence indicating that violations occurred during the parliamentary elections that could have had a significant impact on the final results of these elections” the CEC stated, emphasizing that such claims add greater tensions in an already polarized environment.
The Commission said that the October 26 elections were conducted “at a high professional level and in full compliance with the legislation.” The CEC claimed that it was also “confirmed by the recently published assessment of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission.”
The CEC urged the President and all stakeholders to stop making allegations. “We once again call on the President and all interested parties making such allegations to provide relevant, substantiated evidence or refrain from spreading unsubstantiated/unfounded and misleading statements that undermine public trust in the election process,” the statement read.
The statement was released following the President Salome Zurabishvili’s call on Bidzina Ivanishvili to negotiate new elections, describing the 26 October elections as rigged. In the President’s video address released on December 23, she reiterated that the elections were rigged and said that that public confidence in the authorities had been severely eroded.
She stressed that efforts to seek justice through constitutional and legal channels had been exhausted, as evidence of vote rigging had been presented to all available courts, with the Constitutional Court, widely believed to be part of the so-called “judicial clan”, rejecting her appeal.
Not only the President but also international observers, including the OSCE/ODHR have raised concerns about the integrity of the election process. In its final report regarding October 26 elections, OSCE/ODIHR while noting that while the elections were generally “well-administered,” said that the elections took place amidst “serious concerns” about the impact of recently adopted legislation on fundamental freedoms and civil society, steps to diminish the independence of institutions involved in the election process, and pressure on voters, “which combined with election day practices compromised the ability of some voters to cast their vote without fear of retribution.” The critical report also stresses the lack of post-election legal remedies.
Similarly, the IRI mission’s findings pointed to a “decline in genuine political competition,” with the mission noting that numerous factors heavily marred the election process, casting serious doubts on the election’s credibility. IRI emphasized the urgent need for “coherent and comprehensive election reforms” to address weaknesses in the legal, administrative, and institutional frameworks governing elections.
Earlier, PACE also issued a critical report on November 29, raising doubts about whether 26 October election results truly reflected voters’ will. The report outlined widespread voter intimidation, particularly in rural areas, and procedural violations such as vote-buying and interference during the count. The report also highlighted the politicization of key state institutions like the Central Election Commission and urged the Georgian authorities to implement the reforms for restoring trust, including reversing changes that have undermined opposition representation, enhancing voting secrecy, and improving electoral dispute resolution.
Also Read:
- 22/12/2024 – Addressing Crowds, President Zurabishvili Summons Ivanishvili to Negotiate New Elections
- 21/12/2024 – President Says New Elections Should be Called Immediately, Says Ready to Meet Ivanishvili
- 21/11/2024 – Joint Assessment on Elections by ISFED, My Vote, and GYLA: Elections Neither Free nor Fair
- 28/11/2024 – EP Passes Resolution on Georgia’s Worsening Democratic Crisis, Calls for New Elections
- 27/11/2024 – Analyst: Gender Deviation Analysis Points to 300 000 Fraudulent Votes in Elections
- 14/11/2024 – MDF: Audio Recording Indicates Possible Russian Interference in Georgian Elections
- 06/11/2024 – Georgia’s Elections: Death By Dozen Daggers
- 29/10/2024 – Int’l Watchdog Detects Signs of Alleged Wide-Scale Elections Rigging
