Day: October 26, 2024

The crucial parliamentary elections in Georgia are scheduled for October 26. The eagerly awaited elections are being held at a time when Georgian society is at a crossroads between the EU and Russia, with most of the society aspiring to the constitutional objective of achieving Euro-Atlantic integration, but weakened by Russian influence not only from the outside but also from the inside – coming from the ruling power.

While these elections are important in meaning, they are also unique in several other aspects. These will be 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 fact that these are the first proportional elections, with a 5% threshold that parties must pass to fill 150 seats of the Parliament, has prompted parties to form coalitions, and the main four contenders to pass the electoral threshold- the three most prominent opposition coalitions, as well as the For Georgia party- have a signed up to the President’s Georgian Charter (Read more about the odds and the context of the elections Here).

The main contenders that have the best chance of passing the threshold among the 19 registered parties, are (more on that Here):

• (41) Georgian Dream, current ruling party united with its spinoff political movement People’s Power;
• (5) Unity – to Save Georgia, which unites the former ruling United National Movement, plus Strategy Agmashenebeli and various old and new faces;
• (4) Coalition for Change, another union of former UNM faces brings together Ahali led by Nika Gvaramia and Nika Melia, Girchi – More Freedom led by Zura Japaridze, and Droa led by Elene Khoshtaria;
• (9) Strong Georgia, an alliance positioning itself as equidistant from both UNM and GD, is led by Lelo for Georgia and includes For People led by Anna Dolidze, Citizens led by Aleko Elisashvili, and Freedom Square led by Levan Tsutskiridze; and
• (25) For Georgia, led by the former GD Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia – another self-positioned “neither UNM nor GD” force, uniting primarily former government officials and MPs who had deserted the Georgian Dream.

The purpose of this live blog, which we are launching with just over two weeks to go and which will replace our regular Election Beat, is to keep you up to date with all the events surrounding the upcoming elections:

ALL TIMES ARE LOCAL

Saturday, October 26

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 cast his vote and 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 Violetions 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 violetions in defferent 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.

• Polls Open in Georgia’s Pivotal Parliamentary Vote

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 Voice Speaks of Pre-Election Violations

A representative of the My Voice 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 …