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Georgia's president: It was a Russian-style election

Yesterday Salome Zurabishvili called on Georgians to take to the streets tonight to protest the results of the election, which she announced she does not recognize

Oct 28, 2024 17:05 110

Georgia's president: It was a Russian-style election  - 1

The president of Georgia has accused the ruling party of resorting to Russian-style tactics and propaganda in the contested election, reports "Reuters".

According to Salome Zurabishvili, the real share of votes for "Georgian dream" is far less than the officially announced majority.

Zourabishvili is a fierce critic of the ruling party and previously called the result a "Russian special operation".

When asked if this comment was a direct accusation that Russia helped rig the election, she replied: "No, it is an accusation that the methodology used and the support most likely of Russia's FSB (Federal Security Service) are presented in this election".

"The propaganda that was used before the election was a direct duplication, copy-paste, of Russian videos used during the election of Russian President Vladimir Putin," Zurabishvili fumed.

She has not presented any evidence of FSB interference in the elections.

Earlier today, the Kremlin denied Russian interference in the vote and stressed that the West, not Moscow, was trying to destabilize the situation.

The Election Commission announced that "Georgian Dream" won almost 54% of the votes. The vote was marred by reports of voting irregularities, which Western countries have demanded be investigated.

Zourabishvili stated that "Georgian dream" has won only about 40%, a figure in line with two exit polls showing the opposition winning a majority of seats in parliament. Georgia's election commission hailed the vote as free and fair.

Yesterday, Zurabishvili called on Georgians to take to the streets tonight to protest the results of the election, which she said she does not recognize.

In her words, the planned protest will be an expression of the Georgian people "that they want to preserve their European future".

Zourabishvili, a Paris-born former French diplomat, was elected to the Georgian parliament as an independent candidate in 2016 and won the presidency in 2018 with the support of "Georgian Dream".

In recent years, however, the 72-year-old head of state broke with the party and became one of its most outspoken critics. She played a key role as a mediator among Georgia's divided and divisive opposition parties ahead of Saturday's vote, where they hoped to dislodge the "Georgian Dream".

The election results are a blow to pro-Western Georgians, who voted as a choice between a ruling party that has deepened its ties with Russia and an opposition that aims for rapid integration with Europe.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze today accused the opposition of trying to "shake the constitutional order" of the country. He assured that his government remains committed to European integration.