GEORGIA’S parliamentary election result has been disputed by the country’s leading opposition party following a bitter campaign.
The country’s Central Election Commission say that the ruling pro-Russian Georgian Dream party won 54.8% of Saturday's vote with almost 100% of ballots counted, with figures suggesting turnout was the highest since 2012.
The United National Movement (UNM), Georgia’s pro-Western opposition party, disputed the results following claims from electoral observers and reports from The Associated Press of foul play during the election.
Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire founder of Georgian Dream who made his fortune in Russia, vowed ahead of the election to ban opposition parties should his party win.
Tina Bokuchava, chairwoman of the UNM, accused the election commission of carrying out Ivanishvili’s “dirty order” and said he “stole the victory from the Georgian people and thereby stole the European future”.
She indicated the opposition will not recognise the results and “will fight like never before to reclaim our European future”.
Georgian Dream has become increasingly authoritarian, adopting laws similar to those used by Russia to crack down on freedom of speech. The EU suspended Georgia’s EU membership process indefinitely in June.
The pre-election campaign was dominated by foreign policy and marked by a bitter fight for votes and allegations of a smear campaign. Some Georgians complained of intimidation and being pressured to vote for the governing party.
The UNM party said its headquarters was attacked on Saturday while Georgian media reported two people were injured in attacks outside polling stations.
Some voters claimed they were instructed how to vote by local officials, The Associated Press reported.
