The head of Georgia’s Central Electoral Commission, Giorgi Kalandarishvili, was attacked with black paint during a meeting to confirm the results of the parliamentary elections. The incident occurred as opposition supporters protested outside the building in Tbilisi, rejecting the official results which declared the ruling Georgian Dream party as the winner with 53.93% of the vote. The opposition has accused the party of vote rigging, a claim that Georgian Dream denies.
European election observers have described the elections as taking place in a divisive atmosphere, marked by bribery, double voting, and physical violence. Many Georgians saw the vote as a referendum on the country’s efforts to join the European Union. Critics have accused Georgian Dream of becoming increasingly authoritarian and aligned with Moscow, as seen in laws restricting freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights.
President Salome Zourabichvili, who has rejected the official results, claims that Georgia is facing pressure from Moscow to not join the EU. She has called on the US and EU to support the protests. Officials in Washington and Brussels have called for a full investigation into the election, while the Kremlin denies interfering.
The incident involving Kalandarishvili being attacked with paint highlights the tense political climate in Georgia and the deep divisions among the population regarding the election results and the country’s future direction.
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