Ruling Party, Rightist Opposition in Mutual Accusation over Vote Rigging

The ruling party National Movement – Democrats expressed protest against the accusations made by the Rightist Opposition – Industrialists-New Rights, which claims that the ruling party tries to prevent the opposition coalition to enter the Parliament through manipulation of election results.

“If someone has illusion that the Georgian authorities try to prevent other political parties from clearing the 7% threshold, this is absurd. This accusation of the Rightist Opposition is groundless,” Giga Bokeria of the National Movement – Democrats said at a news briefing on April 1. 

Recently the Rightist Opposition – Industrialists-New Rights accused the authorities of ballot fraud. The coalition claims that the authorities try to cancel results of those precincts where the Rightist Opposition garnered significant number of votes in order to prevent the coalition to gain seats in the Parliament. 

According to the Central Election Commission’s results announced on March 31 the Rightist Opposition cleared 7% threshold and received 7,62% of votes in March 28 elections.

However, the election results were annulled in 48 precincts by the district election commissions, due to procedural violations, including in 26 precincts of Kvemo Kartli region. Cancellation of election results in Kvemo Kartli region precincts hits the Rightist Opposition – Industrialists-New Rights coalition.

The ruling party claims that the representatives of the Rightist Opposition were suspected in ballot staffing at those precincts which were annulled after the election observer organizations reported numerous violations.