International observers said there were concerns with the electoral process both before and during elections in Georgia, fuelling polarisation between Georgian Dream and opposition parties who claim the result was “rigged.”
There were various issues with the electoral process during last night’s elections in Georgia, according to a Western delegation of observers co-ordinated by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
Whilst members said that voting on election day was generally well-organised, they pointed to a tense and pressured environment pre-election day as well as several instances of intimidation and procedural inconsistencies during the day itself.
“During our observation, we noted cases of vote-buying and double-voting before and during elections, especially in rural areas” Iulian Bulai, head of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe delegation, said.
He added that the presence of cameras inside polling stations added to a climate of pressure and that an observer from his delegation found their car vandalised when carrying out assessments.
In 24% of cases analysed by a delegation from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights voter secrecy was found to be compromised.
Antonio Lopez-Isturiz White, who represented a group of observers from the European Parliament, pointed to a tense and highly polarised environment for voters saying, “Although, outwardly, the campaign was quite subdued, there were signs that efforts were underway to undermine and manipulate the vote.”
Observers pointed to an uneven playing field, with the incumbent Georgian Dream party having significantly more financial resources in the run-up to the election.
They said although there was clear political bias across all domestic media outlets in Georgia, significantly more time on-screen time was dedicated to the ruling party in the run-up to the election.
“There were reports of misuse of public resources and administrative capacity for the benefit of the ruling party. Pressure exerted on civil servants to participate in campaign events and vote,” Lopez-Isturiz White said.
He added that there was evidence that institutions such as the newly established Anti-Corruption Bureau were being “instrumentalised for political purposes.”
The OSCE said that 529 observers were deployed across Georgia, including a delegation of 12 from the European Parliament.
The observers analysed the environment before the election, including media coverage of election campaigns, as well as procedures that took place on the day itself.
The delegation declined to answer questions on how its findings would impact the formation of a new government in Georgia, but confirmed they would be preparing separate reports and monitoring the post-election environment.
Their findings are likely to add fuel to Georgia’s opposition parties, who have contested the results of the country’s electoral commission which found Georgian Dream to be within a comfortable majority.
Georgian Dream have denied reports that the election was rigged. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said following results, “The Georgian people made the only choice for which there was no alternative; they chose peace and the country’s development, its bright, European future.”
ADVERTISEMENTEuropean leaders have been relatively quiet about congratulating the ruling party, with Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orbán congratulating Georgian Dream in a post on X.
