At the polling station in the Georgian city of Marneuli, the throwing of ballots was recorded, as a result of which a physical fight began between those present there. The head of the Central Election Commission of Georgia Giorgi Kalandarishvili immediately reacted to this. He demands that the Ministry of Internal Affairs intervene as soon as possible and find out what happened.
Points of attention
- Video evidence of ballots being thrown and attacks on observers highlight the need for transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
- CEC's call for urgent action, convening meetings, and opening a criminal case signals a serious approach towards maintaining election credibility.
- The scandal underscores the importance of upholding democratic values and preventing manipulative acts that undermine the electoral system in Georgia.
What is happening in Georgia on October 26
Video proof that the elections in Georgia are taking place with violations was published by the head of the NGO Transparency International Georgia, Eka Gigauri.
In her video, you can see how one person throws several ballots into the ballot box at once.
According to the former ombudsman of Georgia, Nino Lomzharia, the person who recorded the incident was attacked.
In the 69th precinct of Marneuli, our observer was physically attacked when he was filming the aforementioned footage of ballots being thrown, Lomjaria said.
The CEC of Georgia commented on the scandal
The head of the Central Election Commission of Georgia, Giorgi Kalandarishvili, called on the Marneul District Election Commission to urgently understand the situation, convene a meeting of the commission and make an appropriate decision.
This is alarming information, he emphasized.
Giorgi Kalandarishvili also publicly promised that he and his team will not allow "such manipulative incidents to undermine the months-long efforts we invested on election day."
He officially confirmed that the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has opened a criminal case.
I would like to ask the Ministry to implement relevant procedures as soon as possible to provide the public with objective, accurate information within the limits of our competence, — added the head of the CEC.
According to him, such incidents "harm the electoral environment, the reputation of the institution and raise questions about the results."
