Ruling Party Endorsed Presidential Candidate Wins Elections, Official Data Says
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Friday, November 30
The Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) counted 100 percent of votes on Thursday and stated that Georgia has the first female president with 59.52 percent of votes.
Zurabishvili’s opponent from the United National Movement party Grigol Vashadze received 40.48 percent of votes.
In her comments for the media late on Wednesday Zurabishvili vowed that her priority will be fighting for the state unity.
“I would like to express my gratitude to voters. Georgia made a principle choice today. We all together said final and firm no to the past that would hamper our society’s strengthening, advancement and liberation.
“Our choice is peaceful Georgia, a country of free and equal citizens. Our choice is dialogue with those who did not vote for us today. We are all citizens of one small country. We live together and we must live together in the future too,” Zurabishvili said.
Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze congratulated Zurabishvili on the victory, but stated that there is “no time to waste on celebrations, it is time to work.”
He claimed that the ruling party had received a message from people in the first and second round of elections.
Head of the election staff of Grigol Vashadze Giorgi Vashadze stated that the ruling party has provided all financial and other measures to win the elections.
“The ruling party officials and ordinary criminals stood shoulder to shoulder at polling stations to help Zurabishvili win the race. The fact that the ruling party made a decision to cooperate with criminals is shameful,” Vashadze said.
Vashadze stated that the fact that Zurabishvili lost the elections in Afghanistan, where Georgian soldiers voted, means that the army dislikes the future commander-in-chief.
Zurabishvili will be the fifth president of Georgia, who will take the post for six years.
All following presidents will be elected by 300 delegates from Tbilisi and regions, as the country’s new constitution reads.
The inauguration ceremony of Zurabishvili will be held on December 16.
Zurabishvili received 0.9 percent more votes than Vashadze in the first round of 28 October presidential elections. As none of the candidates were able to receive at least 51 percent of votes, the second runoff was scheduled.
