Head of Georgia’s Electoral Commission Attacked Amid Election Dispute

Head of Georgia’s Electoral Commission Attacked Amid Controversial Election Results

Tbilisi (Brussels Morning) – During a session intended to validate the results of Georgia’s hotly contested parliamentary elections on October 26, the chairman of the Central Electoral Commission was doused with black paint.

Demonstrators gathered outside the commission’s headquarters in Tbilisi as officials confirmed that the ruling Georgian Dream party had garnered 53.93% of the vote. Opponents claim the results were rigged, which the Georgian Dream party firmly denies.

The session was abruptly disrupted when David Kirtadze, a commission member from the opposition United National Movement party, threw black paint at commission head Giorgi Kalandarishvili. Prior to his protest, Kirtadze stated that the election results did not reflect the “true choice” of the voters.

Responding to the incident, Kalandarishvili argued that tactics such as “pressure, bullying, and personal insults” only served to demonstrate the absence of evidence for vote tampering. After a brief interruption, the session continued with Kalandarishvili donning a bandage over his eye. He reaffirmed that there was “no tangible proof” to suggest the election had been rigged.

Russian Influence and Georgia’s Election Controversy

International observers described Georgia’s parliamentary elections as taking place in a highly charged atmosphere, marred by instances of bribery, double voting, and even physical violence at polling stations. For many Georgians, the election was viewed as a referendum on the country’s aspirations to join the European Union. However, in June, the EU indefinitely postponed Georgia’s membership application after its parliament passed a controversial “foreign influence law,” which critics say mirrors Russia’s efforts to suppress civil society.

Critics argue that the ruling Georgian Dream party, founded by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who accumulated his fortune in Russia, has shown increasing authoritarian tendencies and is drifting towards Moscow. The government has recently implemented laws resembling those used by the Kremlin to stifle free speech and clamp down on LGBTQ+ rights.

President Salome Zourabichvili, who has rejected the official election results, claims that Georgia is under pressure from Moscow to distance itself from the European Union. Although her role is largely ceremonial, Zourabichvili has called on the United States and EU to support the ongoing protests. Meanwhile, both Washington and Brussels have urged a comprehensive investigation into the election’s integrity, while the Kremlin has categorically denied any involvement.

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