The founder of the ruling party in Georgia "Georgian Dream" (GM), the billionaire and former prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, announced victory in yesterday's parliamentary elections to jubilant supporters of GM on election night, BTA reported.
After 70% of the votes were counted, the electoral authorities announced that the incumbents were in the lead with 53%, and according to an exit poll of the TV station close to GM, "Imedi" - even with 56%, GM supporters started celebrating with their leader in front of the party headquarters in Tbilisi, where a stage was specially set up for party leaders to address the crowd.
The pre-election alliance "Edinstvo", which includes the opposition United National Movement of former President Mikheil Saakashvili, reportedly received around 10% of the vote, trailing the "Coalition for Change" formation, which gathered about 11%.
"This is a rare world example - for the same party to achieve such success in such a complex environment - it is a good indicator of the talent of the Georgian people," Ivanishvili, who is the honorary chairman of the party, told jubilant members and sympathizers. "I assure you that in the next four years Georgia will be one of the most successful countries. Our team will appreciate this trust. The team represented here includes, in my opinion, the best part of our society."
Ivanishvili, who made his fortune in Russia in the 1990s, came to power in 2012 when he espoused pro-Western views combined with a pragmatic policy towards Moscow.
But he subsequently began to express harsh positions against the West and said that the "Global War Party" wants to bring his country into conflict with Russia, while insisting that Tbilisi will continue on its European path.
The pro-European opposition in Georgia refused to recognize the results of the parliamentary elections in the Caucasian country and declared them manipulated, BTA reported.
At a briefing on the night of the election, the opposition forces disputed the official results of the vote announced by the election authorities, indicating a victory for the ruling party "Georgian Dream", and said they could not accept them.
"The Georgian people voted for a European future for the country, and therefore we will not recognize the manipulated results announced by the CEC (Central Election Commission - note ed.)", said the leader of the "United National Movement" of former President Mikhail Saakashvili Tina Bokuchava at a press conference. The leader of the other main opposition political force, the "Coalition for Change" pre-election alliance, Nika Gwaramia, described the results as a "usurpation of power and a constitutional coup". and added that the images were stolen.
Earlier, President Salome Zurabishvili, who maintains close ties with the opposition, wrote in "Ex" that pro-European parties collected 52% of the votes.
"I am proud and convinced of our European future," she pointed out.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán congratulated the ruling party "Georgian Dream" for the "crushing" her success in yesterday's parliamentary elections, BTA reported.
"I congratulate Prime Minister (Irakli) Kobakhidze for the overwhelming victory in today's parliamentary elections. The people of Georgia know what is best for their country and today they made their voice heard," wrote the Hungarian leader on the X social network.
Categorical victory of "Georgian dream" could jeopardize the Caucasian country's chances of acceding to the EU due to the controversial laws pushed by the party in recent years, notes DPA.