Opposition Coalition Claims Widespread Electoral Fraud in Georgia’s 2024 Elections
A report by the opposition Coalition for Change has alleged widespread electoral fraud in Georgia’s 2024 parliamentary elections. The document, supported by hundreds of complaints, highlights irregularities such as discrepancies between exit polls and official results.
The coalition claims that there were breaches of ballot secrecy, statistical anomalies suggesting election manipulation, and potential Russian interference. They also say that there was fraudulent voting practices and systemic violations involving voter identification and multiple voting.
Coalition leader Zurab Japaridze said that the ruling Georgian Dream party controls all state institutions, making an impartial national investigation impossible. He is calling for an international, independent inquiry into the alleged election rigging.
Russian Interference Alleged in Georgia’s 2024 Elections
An audio recording released on a Russian Telegram channel appeared to feature Giorgi Taktakishvili, leader of the ‘Vote for Europe’ movement, threatening an OSCE/ODIHR spokesperson. However, Taktakishvili denied the call and pointed out discrepancies in the recording.
Experts suggest that the unnatural pauses and tone in the recording may indicate that it was edited or synthesized. This could be part of a broader Russian effort to disrupt Georgia’s electoral process.
Opposition Leaders Criticize Ruling Party
Tamar Kordzaia, leader of the opposition party Unity-UNM, claimed that all branches of government are “cleaning up” the results of rigged elections. She also criticized the Prosecutor’s Office for blocking access to key documents.
Giorgi Gakharia, leader of the opposition party For Georgia, demanded the release of the voters’ list seized by the Prosecutor’s Office. He warned that Russia’s recent demands over border delimitation could threaten Georgia’s sovereignty.
Prosecutor Launches Investigation
The Prosecutor has launched an investigation into election fraud allegations and summoned President for questioning.