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South Caucasus News

The Daily Beat: 5 November


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In an interview with Russian media group Russia Today, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov denied allegations of Russian interference in the Georgian elections, accused the West of meddling in Georgia’s internal affairs, and expressed readiness to further normalize bilateral relations with Georgia. “The Americans are trying to attribute to us what they are doing,” Lavrov said.


At a press briefing, U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said that the U.S. supports the people of Georgia and their aspirations for Euro-Atlantic integration and will not hesitate to take additional measures in response to the ruling Georgian Dream government’s undemocratic steps. “… We will continue to look at whether there are additional measures that would be appropriate; and if so, we won’t hesitate to use them,” he claimed.


Iranian Embassy shared Iranian President’s, Masoud Pezeshkian congratulatory message sent to 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, and contribute to the strengthening of bilateral relations as well as regional cooperation.


The opposition-led protesters gathered at the Tbilisi Court of Appeals which is scheduled to consider the GYLA’s appeals against the annulment of the votes from all the precincts where elections were held using electronic equipment. Police were mobilized at the site.  The opposition leaders pledge that the non-stop protests are expected to spread throughout the capital and the country in the coming days and weeks. You can read more about the plans of the opposition forces here.


Former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia’s, For Georgia party, 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 within 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.


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, Japaridze is expected there on November 6 but he is not planning to go to the Prosecutor’s Office and will present evidence only before the Magistrate Judge.


Another leader of the coalition “Strong Georgia,” Mamuka Khazaradze, also claims that he has been summoned to the Prosecutor General’s Office for questioning regarding the evidence he has about the election fraud. He says that he wouldn’t go to the prosecutor’s office and would present the evidence he had collected only to a Magistrate Judge.


Gigi Ugulava, a member of the opposition coalition Unity-United National Movement, said in a Facebook post that his bank account had been frozen, due to the failure to pay the public transport fine. However, he says he did not use public transportation and therefore could not be fined. “They claim that on August 24, in Vazisubani [Tbilisi district], I took the bus without a ticket. I have never traveled to Vazisubani by bus either without or with a ticket” reads Ugulava’s Facebook post.