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Tens of thousands of Georgians massed outside parliament Monday night, demanding the annulment of the weekend parliamentary election that the president denounced as rigged with the help of Russia. Earlier, the Kremlin’s closest EU ally, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, arrived in Tbilisi for a two-day visit.
President Zourabichvili expressed strong condemnation of the election process, calling it a “total falsification.” In a public address, she attributed the situation to foreign interference, stating, “We have fallen victim to a Russian special operation,” and called on citizens to protest what she described as illegitimate election outcomes.
Read Also: ‘Russia Meddled In Our Elections’ – Georgian President Claims
In support of the protests, opposition parties announced a boycott of the newly elected parliament. Key leaders, including Nana Malashkhia of the “Coalition for Change” and Tina Bokuchava of the “Unity” bloc, declared their refusal to assume parliamentary seats, rejecting the election’s legitimacy. Former President Mikheil Saakashvili, currently imprisoned, also voiced his support from detention, urging widespread demonstrations to “fight for freedom and reject injustice.”
Georgian authorities have intensified security around the Parliament, initially blocking opposition attempts to set up protest stages. However, opposition leaders remain resolute, aiming to challenge what they see as systemic manipulation and foreign influence on Georgia’s democratic processes.
Georgia’s president had reported on Sunday she did not recognize the results of this weekend’s parliamentary vote, which election officials say was won by the ruling party, adding that the country fell victim to a “Russian special operation” aimed at moving it off a path toward Europe.
Standing alongside opposition leaders, President Salome Zourabichvili urged Georgians to rally Monday night on Tbilisi’s main street to protest what she called a “total falsification, a total stealing of your votes,” raising the prospect of further political turmoil in the South Caucasus nation.
She spoke the day after an election which could decide whether Georgia embraces Europe or falls under the sway of Russia.
“This election cannot be recognized, because it is the recognition of Russia’s intrusion here, Georgia’s subordination to Russia,” Zourabichvili said.
