Tens of thousands of Georgians took to the streets of Tbilisi on Monday evening, protesting what they allege to be electoral fraud in last month’s parliamentary elections. The crowd gathered outside Georgia’s parliament, chanting against the ruling Georgian Dream party, which they claim manipulated the election results to stay in power.
“We will never accept falsified election results,” shouted Nika Melia, leader of the Akhali party, as he addressed the crowd. “An invincible protest movement is rising up, and it will sweep away this regime that has stolen our votes!” He vowed that protests would continue daily, with the next one scheduled for Tuesday.
Mamuka Khazaradze, leader of the Coalition for Change, echoed Melia’s call for action. “We demand a fresh vote and an international investigation into the election rigging,” Khazaradze declared. “We will not surrender until our demands are met.”
The protests have gained significant international attention, with both the European Union and the United States criticizing “irregularities” in the election process. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen spoke with President Salome Zurabishvili on Monday, expressing concern about the election’s legitimacy and emphasizing the need for “concrete actions” if Georgia hopes to maintain its pro-European stance.
In a statement, von der Leyen urged, “If Georgia wants to keep its strategic orientation towards the EU, we need concrete actions from the leadership to address these concerns.”
Demonstrators have also accused the government of pushing Georgia closer to Moscow, a claim that has fueled tensions throughout the protest. “Russia and its stooges in our government are trying to steal not only our votes but also our European future,” said Leo Grigalashvili, a 49-year-old winemaker. “We will never accept this.”
The controversy reached a turning point on Monday when a court in Tetritskaro annulled election results from several polling stations due to violations of ballot secrecy. Rights groups have claimed that such violations were widespread, with around 70% of polling stations exhibiting similar problems.
Local election monitors have also alleged that a complex scheme of electoral fraud took place to ensure a Georgian Dream victory. Prosecutors have since opened an investigation into the alleged violations.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of Georgian Dream dismissed the claims, insisting that the election was “entirely fair.” However, as the protests continue to grow in size and intensity, opposition leaders and demonstrators remain resolute in their demand for transparency and reform.
“I’m here today because I cannot sit idly by,” said Lidia Kirtadze, a 25-year-old shop assistant and protester. “We have no choice but to take to the streets every day to show the world that Georgians will never accept rigged elections.”
As the unrest spreads, Georgian political observers suggest that the future of the country’s relations with both the EU and Russia could be shaped by the outcome of these protests. With the opposition unwilling to enter the newly elected parliament, the situation remains precarious, and the protests show no sign of ending soon.
