Georgia. The opposition disputes the legislative, clashes with the police

The police Georgian used water cannons on Sunday against hundreds of protesters who gathered outside the Central Election Commission (CEC) at the opposition’s call to denounce the result of the legislative elections of October 31 and demand a new ballot.

Witnesses and TV stations reported that police also used tear gas, which law enforcement denied.

As the protesters moved towards the CEC building from the main avenue in the capital Tbilisi, where thousands of people had staged a peaceful rally, small groups started throwing stones at the police.

Police said protesters attempted to storm the CEC building. “The demonstrators having used violent methods and not having obeyed the instructions of the police, the Ministry of the Interior used the proportional force (envisaged) in its powers “the ministry said in a statement.

Suspicion of fraud

According to the Central Election Commission of the South Caucasus country, the ruling Georgian Dream party won with 48.23% of the votes cast. The first opposition party, the United National Movement (MNU) of former president Mikhail Saakashvili, was credited with 27.18% of the vote.

After the result was announced on November 1, eight opposition parties including the UNM announced they would boycott Parliament. Opponents accuse the party of outgoing Prime Minister Georgy Kvirikashvili of massive fraud.

An alliance of more than 30 opposition parties gave until Sunday evening Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of Georgian Dream and the richest man in the country, to sack Tamar Zhvania, the president of the electoral commission, and start discussions for new elections.

Protesters went to the CEC building after the 8 p.m. deadline to dismiss the head of the electoral commission and start talks on a new vote.

The economy of the country of 3.7 million people has been hit hard by the coronavirus epidemic. The government said on Saturday it would impose a curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday in larger cities due to a sharp increase in cases since early September.

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