CEC says 11 DECs amended 20 results
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Friday, November 6
The results of the 19th precinct were counted in the Batumi District Election Commission based on a complaint from ISFED. As the chairman of the district, Tsiala Shavadze noted, there were exactly as many ballot papers in the sealed packages and distribution of votes as indicated at the beginning, the result remained the same. According to her, there was a defect in the summary protocol and the number of voters was incorrectly indicated, which, according to the decision of the district commission, was assessed as a technical error and the chairman and secretary of the 19th precinct were given a warning.
According to her, technical shortcomings in the polling stations were facilitated by the large flow of voters, a large number of ballots, and a tense environment.
However, this was not the only case. The CEC stated that discussions have already been held in 15 district election commissions and the results have been recounted - of these, 11 DECs amended 20 results.
"The discussion process in the district election commissions started on November 3 and will end today. The decision of the District Election Commission can be appealed in the relevant district city court within 2 days, which, in turn, will consider the appeal within 2 calendar days,” announced the head of the CEC Human Resources Management Department Giorgi Kalandarishvili yesterday.
At 15:00 yesterday, as CEC informed, recounts have been carried out in 15 district election commissions, of which 13 district election commissions have conducted recounts on the basis of applications-complaints, and 2 - on their own initiative. By relevant decisions, 11 DECs amended 20 results, invalidating the data of 3 mobile ballot boxes, and correcting the results in 9 cases, both proportional and majoritarian. It is also noteworthy that in 8 cases the data remained unchanged.
As CEC emphasized, almost all the sessions were attended by representatives of local observer organizations, as well as representatives of the relevant election subject and, in some cases, accredited media outlets.
Accredited media representatives, one representative of an election subject in the District Election Commission, one observer of a local observer organization, and no more than two observers of an international organization registered with the CEC together with an interpreter have the right to attend the commission session.
"Although all parties involved in the elections, including representatives of political parties, majoritarian candidates, know who is legally the person authorized to attend the DEC session, they demand that the commissions violate the law and allow unauthorized persons to attend the sessions. However, they all have their own representative authorized to attend the meeting. Despite this, they spread false information, deliberately try to disrupt the process, discredit the election administration, and the election process in general,” explained Kalandarishvili.
According to Kalandarishvili, there were also complaints filed by unauthorized persons, due to which the commissions did not have a legal basis for their consideration.
Kalandarishvili appealed to all parties involved in the elections to actively observe the current events with the district election commissions and directly at the sittings and to objectively evaluate the ongoing processes, which avoids spreading inaccurate, damaging information about the election process to the public.
Soon after this address, the movement Shame held a protest performance in front of the Central Election Commission.
The protesters brought symbolic gifts to Tamar Zhvania at the CEC building - a math book and a report book.
According to Giga Makarashvili, a member of the movement, rigging the elections will cost Tamar Zhvania and the Georgian Dream dearly.
Yesterday night representatives of the National Movement and Strategy Builder gathered in the 6th election district of Samgori and approached the district election commission. They protested against the decisions of the district election commission and demanded that their complaints be upheld.
Meanwhile, the complaints were being considered in the district commission, the session which was left by the member of the commission from the National Movement, arguing that commission does not actually consider the complaints and the members of the commission only write explanations. According to UNM representatives, a member of the commission from European Georgia as well as observers, representatives of non-governmental organizations were present at the sitting of the commission.
Similar protests were held at Isani, Vake-Saburtalo, and Mtatsminda district commissions in Tbilisi, as well as in Kutaisi. Opposition members confronted the police, demanding that their complaints be fairly reviewed, all the parties asked to attend the process, but police did not allow them into the DECs buildings.
Georgian Dream leader Irakli Kobakhidze called the ongoing processes the demonstration of low political culture "as indicated, for example, by the head of the mission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe."
“When the vote-counting was taking place, which, let me remind you, is an unprecedented event in the history of Georgian elections, (that the Central Election Commission made a decision considering real votes) instead of taking a constructive approach, opposition members are holding rallies in parallel with this process, which is unacceptable, and once again proves their low political culture,” Kobakhidze said.
President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili addressed the public, calling on everyone to remain calm and respect state institutions.
“We also urge you to strictly follow all the recommendations that are necessary to avoid the spread of the Covid-19,” the president announced, adding that it is the responsibility of all political parties, their leaders, and each participant in the rally.
