Georgian elections: Allegations of fraud fuel opposition uproar

According to the CEC, the opposition forces received the following results: Coalition for Change - approximately 10.92%, Unity bloc - 10.12%, Strong Georgia - 8.78%, and the For Georgia party received 7.76% of the votes. The remaining groups did not reach the 5-percent electoral threshold.

However, the opposition won among voters casting ballots outside Georgia. The Coalition for Change garnered 29%, Unity - 20.8%, Strong Georgia - 14%, and For Georgia - 8.4%. Georgian Dream received 17.7% of votes abroad.

During Saturday's voting, the Georgian opposition announced that it does not recognize the results presented by the CEC. A coalition of non-governmental organizations monitoring Saturday's parliamentary elections declared they demand the annulment of the official voting results and accused the government of engaging in a "complex process of electoral fraud."

Election observers from the "My Voice" coalition dispatched around 2,000 civic observers to polling stations nationwide.

At a briefing, the organization expressed its stance on the parliamentary elections. "In light of the pre-election period's atmosphere, the fraudulent procedures used on election day, the unprecedented pressure on voters' will, and instances of violence, we believe that the preliminary results published by the Central Election Commission do not reflect the will of the citizens of Georgia," stated the "My Voice" coalition.

"We will demand the annulment of the election results," they announced.

Later in the evening, leaders of the opposition United National Movement and the Coalition for Change also stated that they did not accept the election results.

The ruling group has been accused for years of distancing Georgia from democratic standards and sympathizing with Russia.

Source: PAP