The Prosecutor’s Office in Georgia has launched an investigation into alleged vote rigging in last weekend’s parliamentary election, which officials said was won by the ruling party and the opposition denounced as illegitimate.
Georgia's opposition immediately raised objections that the Prosecutor’s Office would not conduct an independent investigation because its head was appointed by the parliament, which is dominated by the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Georgian Dream – which has deepened the country’s ties with Russia – declared victory in Saturday’s election after authorities said it won about 54 percent of the vote with almost all ballots counted.
The balloting was seen by many Georgians as a choice between continuing to support the ruling party or seeking closer integration with the European Union.
European observers said the election took place in a “divisive” environment marked by intimidation and instances of vote-buying, double voting and physical violence.
Georgian observers also reported multiple violations and said the results do not reflect “the will of the Georgian people”.
The EU and United States have called for a full and transparent investigation of the alleged violations.
Opposition protests in Tbilisi
This comes as thousands of people rallied outside the parliament building Monday night to hear opposition speakers, including President Salome Zourabichvili, denounce what they called a stolen election.
The nation of just under four million people – which lies between Russia and Turkey – was granted EU candidate status in 2022, but Brussels halted the process indefinitely after the parliament, dominated by Georgian Dream, adopted a “foreign influence law,” similar to ones enacted in Russia to crack down on dissent.
The party was set up by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire who made his fortune in Russia and served briefly as Georgia’s prime minister but has stayed out of public view since 2013.
The investigation was requested by the Central Election Commission, and Zourabichvili was summoned for questioning Thursday about the allegations.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office others “who may possess information related to the alleged criminal act” also would be questioned.
Election officials also have announced a partial recount of ballots cast at a number of polling stations, aimed at addressing some of the accusations.
It isn't clear when that will be completed, with a CEC statement saying ballots from five polling stations randomly selected in each election district will be recounted.
'Nobody can be fooled'
However, Salome Samadashvili of the opposition Strong Georgia coalition, questioned whether the Prosecutor's office was independent of Ivanishvili's influence.
“If somebody thinks that they can fool the Georgian people or our international partners into believing that Bidzina will investigate his own election fraud, they are mistaken. Nobody can be fooled,” Samadashvili said.
“That is why we are saying that the investigation should be conducted by an international mission with the adequate mandate and qualifications. Until this is done, this election cannot and will not have legitimacy or trust,” she added.
President Zourabichvili – who has a mostly ceremonial role – suggested that “Russian elections” were held in the country, and said “technology was used to whitewash counterfeiting. Such a thing has never happened before.”
However, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, a member of Georgian Dream, has urged Zourabichvili to turn over evidence of vote-rigging and has concluded that she has none.
