Georgia’s pro-Western president condemns ‘troubling incidents of violence’ at polling stations with crucial vote underway

By Christian Edwards and Niamh Kennedy, CNN

(CNN) — Georgia’s President Salome Zourabichvili has condemned “deeply troubling incidents of violence unfolding at various polling stations” as the country votes in a crucial parliamentary election.

Voting opened early Saturday in the election, seen as a stark choice between Russia and the West. The ruling Georgian Dream party, which has in recent years taken a sharp authoritarian turn and stalled the country’s progress toward potential European Union membership, is bidding for re-election.

Activist and monitoring groups shared footage that they said showed ballot stuffing at a polling station in Marneuli, southern Georgia.

Another video showed a man, identified in local media as Azad Karimov – head of the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party’s regional organization – being assaulted by several men outside the polling station in Marneuli’s 69th precinct. Photos showed Karimov with a bloody nose and cuts to his face.

Voting has been suspended at that polling station and its results have declared invalid, the country’s Central Election Commission told CNN.

In an emergency briefing, the head of the CEC called on Marneuli’s election officials to investigate the incident and take appropriate action.

“This is troubling information, and the election administration, if confirmed, will not allow such isolated, controlled, or manipulative incidents to undermine the many months of efforts we have put forth into the election day,” Giorgi Kalandarishvili said.

Zourabichvili, a pro-Western figure whose powers are largely ceremonial, said she had been unable to reach the minister of internal affairs and that “the official government lines are not working.” Before the election, Zourabichvili urged Georgians to vote against Georgian Dream.

“In some cases, media equipment has been destroyed, and direct acts of violence have occurred. Groups have gathered with the sole purpose of provoking conflict and confrontation,” Zourabichvili said in a statement shared with CNN. “It reflects weakness, and I urge everyone not to be intimidated by it.”

Responding to the reports from Marneuli, Georgian Dream politician Givi Mikanadze said “anyone who hinders the election process” will be punished, but appeared to blame the opposition for the incident.

“The opposition has no tangible factor other than to stage provocations, because they know that they will lose the elections,” he said, according to Imedia Media, a Georgian outlet.

After casting his ballot early Saturday, Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze told reporters that Georgian Dream will secure 60% of the vote and called on opposition parties to recognize these results. Government critics have questioned how Kobakhidze could know the results in advance.

The CEC reported voter turnout at 50.6% at 5 p.m. local time (9 a.m. ET), which Zourabichvili said was “very high.”

At 10 p.m. local time (2 p.m. ET), the CEC will announce preliminary results based on 90% of votes counted.

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