GEORGIA Revolt in Tbilisi after the elections

Those who consider the pro-Russian government responsible for the fraud that annulled the results of the exit polls take to the streets of central Tbilisi, amid growing tension. President Zurabišvili and the leaders of the opposition (which appeared divided into four different parties) do not recognize the results, which give the Georgian Dream 53.92% of the votes in a divided country. The Kremlin cries “destabilization in the name of Europeans.”

Tbilisi () – As expected, the result of the elections in Georgia has caused a clear division in the country, between supporters of the pro-Russian government of the Georgian Dream, proclaimed winner of the parliamentary competition, and supporters of European integration , who see the Franco-Georgian president Salome Zurabišvili as the reference of the opposition. Following accusations of blatant electoral fraud, those who blame the government for rigging rushed to the streets of central Tbilisi, in a growing tension that is unclear to what extent Georgian society will go.

The Kremlin immediately reacted through Dmitry Peškov, declaring that it was not involved in any interference in the Georgian elections, in fact accusing Zurabišvili of “trying to destabilize the situation by acting on behalf of the Europeans”, when the elections are “an internal matter.” of Georgia. In his opinion, these influences “are visible without prejudice, and certainly do not come from Russia”, while the electoral results “simply express the will of the people.”

The Georgian president declared that she did not recognize the results of the elections, which according to Peškov “does not seem to be within her competence, and in any case is an internal matter for Georgia.” Eighteen parties participated in the elections, in an attempt to overcome the 5% threshold. The Georgian Dream, according to the Electoral Committee, reached 53.92%, still below the announced 60% that would have determined the “constitutional majority” necessary to outlaw all opposition parties. The “Coalition for Change” reached 11%, the “National Movement” – the party of former president Mikhail Saakašvili, currently imprisoned – 10.16%, “Strong Georgia” 8.81% and the “For Georgia” 7.77%, overall falling below 40% of the votes cast.

President Zurabislavili and opposition leaders have decided not to recognize the results, calling them a “total falsification” and calling people to the streets without bothering to file legal appeals, with Saakašvili himself inciting everyone to protest from his prison cell. The political conflict has lasted since 2012, when pro-Russian oligarch Bidzina Ivanišvili founded Georgian Dream after years of conflict with Russia over the disputed autonomist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Salomé Zurabišvili had been Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia between 2004 and 2005, after a career in French diplomacy, since she was born in Paris into a Georgian family and had been an official in the French embassies in Italy, the United States , Chad and NATO. Since being elected President of Georgia, she has repeatedly criticized the Georgian Dream, until the recent passage of laws against “foreign influence” and “LGBT propaganda.”

The speaker of the Tbilisi Parliament, Šalva Papuašvili, accuses the president of “seeking the ruin of the country”, denies all accusations of electoral fraud and affirms that “when disinformation is spread from the presidential palace to lead people into confusion and playing with her emotions, it is clear that Mrs. Zurabišvili is involved in some plan to destroy the country.

Papuašvili also accused the company Edison Research, which carried out the exit polls at the end of the elections, of manipulating the results to damage the victory of the Georgian Dream, to which he initially attributed only 40.9% compared to 51.9%. % of the opponents, who in the end did not recognize the results proclaimed by the Electoral Committee, rejecting the parliamentary mandates they had obtained. Everything remains open, awaiting the result of the popular protests and the government’s reactions.