Gakharia Urges Diplomats to Boycott Parliamentary Session Over 'Fraudulent Elections'
By Liza Mchedlidze
Friday, November 22, 2024
Former Georgian Prime Minister and leader of the Gakharia - For Georgia party, Giorgi Gakharia, urged the diplomatic corps in Georgia to boycott the opening session of the newly elected Parliament. Speaking at a briefing, Gakharia called on ambassadors, including those representing the United States and European Union member states, to refrain from attending the session as a sign of disapproval of what he described as illegitimate election results.
Gakharia accused the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party of orchestrating systematic election fraud during the October 26 parliamentary elections. He claimed violations included voter intimidation, manipulation of voter privacy, and the misuse of citizens' personal data. He further alleged that state institutions, such as the Central Election Commission (CEC) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, were complicit in the scheme.
Gakharia emphasized the need for a full, independent investigation into the alleged election fraud, asserting that the crisis could have been mitigated if the GD had disclosed the list of participating voters. Instead, he claimed, the ruling party obstructed transparency by initiating what he called a "fake investigation" to secure control over evidence.
He also appealed to Georgian citizens to join protests on the first day of Parliament's session, urging them to visibly deny the legislature's legitimacy.
Discussing his party's coordination with other opposition groups, Gakharia said the focus remained on addressing "stolen elections" and returning the country to a pro-European trajectory. However, he highlighted differences in protest strategies, distancing his party from the United National Movement's (UNM) approach.
Responding to questions about relinquishing parliamentary mandates, Gakharia maintained that such decisions were solely his party's prerogative. He clarified that Georgia would refuse state funding but declined to specify the format of the refusal.
Addressing potential EU sanctions, Gakharia opposed measures that would restrict visa liberalization for Georgian citizens, calling them unfair and counterproductive. Instead, he advocated for targeted sanctions against GD officials, whom he accused of undermining the country's European aspirations.
