The Georgian Dream, and the opposition parties, hoping to form a coalition against the ruling party after the release of highly contradictory exit poll results, declared victory as voting stations in Georgia closed today at 8:00 pm.
Bidzina, the billionaire Honorary Chair of Georgian Dream, addressed supporters gathered outside the Georgian Dream Tbilisi office. She said that it was “rare worldwide for the same party to continue being successful in such difficult circumstances.”
Ivanishvili said that the GD will “do a great deal” in the next four-year period, and that Georgia would be one of the most successful nations in the world in four years’ time. He also added that there will be “no lies, no treachery or conniving.”
Meanwhile, leaders of pro-EU opposition groups declared victory against Georgian Dream. Tina Bokuchava, leader of Unity-UNM, rejoiced that, “despite the violence…Europe and the Georgians won.”
Bokuchava said that “no particular party won, but that the European future of the nation has been won by the opposition and the GD lost.” “The time of Ivanishvili has passed… In this election the Georgian people voted to form a coalition government.”
Mamuka Khazaradze, leader the Strong Georgia coalition, congratulated Georgia “on the defeat” of the Russian government, but called on election observers to “protect the votes until the very last minute, until the very end.”
“Today, the Georgian Society has ended the period stagnation,” he said. “A new period, a brand new life, is starting in Georgia. It is geared towards freedom, democracy and reconstruction of the nation.
Former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, leader of the For Georgia Party, struck a more conservative tone, arguing the exit polls had a “decently high” margin of error.
“That’s why there are so many differences now,” Gakharia said, pointing to the conflicting results of the polls commissioned both by the progovernment Imedi TV station and the opposition-leaning TV channels. “All sorts of celebrations are to follow.”
“Believe me. When the counting is done, our results and the results of the opposing parties will be much better than exit polls,” said he.
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