BREAKING: President @Zourabichvili_S announces that she does not recognize the elections results and call the people to join her. Zurabishvili asks people to join the protest at Rustaveli tomorrow at 7PM.
President tells the Georgian people that they won these elections, and nobody has the right to take that away from us. This was outright election fraud—a complete theft of votes, a Russian special operation, a new form of hybrid aggression by Russia. They deprived us of the right to elections; they stole the institution of elections, she said. More below.
“There were so many violations that it was impossible to detect them all. We witnessed something very unusual: this was a total falsification, a total stealing of votes, using all the tricks that can be used to falsify elections, and on top of that – the use of modern technologies to whitewash the elections”
“We were witnesses and victims of a Russian special operation, a new type of hybrid warfare waged against our people.”
“On that day we were deprived of the right to vote. These were Russian elections, they stole the electoral institution from us, and they stole our constitutional right to vote, including from our emigrant”
“I want to say, as the only independent institution, that I don’t recognize these elections. These elections cannot be recognized. We won’t accept this.” She added: “We are going to stand together and say: We will not accept this new form of subjugation by Russia”.
“Nothing can make these elections legitimate,” @Zourabichvili_S concluded.
Ballot casting at the 69th precinct in Marneuli, our observer was assaulted for recording this.
Beaten up observer:
Polling station N69 in Marneuli was closed due to one of the observers stuffing dozens of ballots into the ballot box. According to available information, the envelopes were stuffed by the deputy chairman of the Marneuli City Council, however, this information is not verified yet. Will update asap.
Dear friends, supporters, and watchers of Georgia,
Tomorrow, Sakartvelo will witness the most important day in its independent history. The elections will determine the decades to come, deciding whether Georgia remains a pro-Western democratic state or becomes a vassal of Russia. Bear with me as I walk you through the existential significance of the events unfolding before our eyes, and please spread the word.
You will often hear the terms "unprecedented" and “existential" regarding our elections. This reflects the unbreakable spirit of Georgian citizens who know what it means to protect their homeland and fight for freedom, sovereignty, democracy, and a European future. We know what it means to have Russian bombs fall on our heads; we know what it means to be punished for self-determination, for choosing democracy and integration into the EU and NATO. We understand that our security and prosperity will be guaranteed only by joining Western structures. Today, all of the above are at stake.
For the first time in the independent history, 3,508,294 Georgians will cast their vote and elect parliament in the proportional electoral system, which was long demanded by the public, which was exhausted of one party rule and sought diversity. A total of 3,111 polling stations have been opened, of which 3,044 are in Georgia, 67 abroad, demands were made to open more polls abroad, but in vain. Georgians who had to seek financial and personal stability in the West are now gearing up to vote in unprecedented numbers, having nearly 100,000 are registered to vote abroad.
BREAKING: The houses of @EtoBuziashvili and @SGelava, researchers at the Atlantic Council’s @DFRLab, are being searched. The Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance has entered Eto’s apartment, and devices at Sopo’s home are being seized. The “investigation” is underway under three articles, just two days before Georgia’s parliamentary elections.
"They arrived around 8 o'clock in the morning. They did not inform me that they were from the financial police; instead, they claimed to be from the gas inspection service and said there was a leak issue. About six people rushed in and immediately began searching. They took my phone and did not allow me to contact a lawyer. They were particularly interested in documentation and technology, this was their motive. The search lasted for about two hours." @EtoBuziashvili told @FormulaGe
"They came in the morning and informed me that financial investigations were underway involving the company I have a contract with. I work for the Atlantic Council, where I investigate government and pro-Russian interference in Georgia, as well as information operations and disinformation. They provided no further details before beginning their search, during which they seized my laptop and phone. They also took my husband's laptop—he is a politician. At this point, we have no additional information. We have been summoned for questioning" @SGelava told @FormulaGe
🧵Our joint investigation with @OCCRP found Georgia's Oligarch, Bidzina Ivanishvili's family's previously unreported real estate in the elite settlements outside Moscow.
The investigation's findings contradict Bidzina Ivanishvili's 2011 promise to cut all ties with Russia.
The investigation refers to two private residential houses situated in two prestigious Moscow districts, Sokol and Odintsovo. One of these properties includes a yard spanning 52,749 sq.m., comprising nine adjacent plots of land.
The estimated market value of the discovered property is at least $14.7 million. The Ivanishvili family rents out one of the residences for approximately $9,000 per monrths.
Two Russian banks sanctioned by the US, VTB Bank and Sberbank, were used to manage the funds.
The choice between Peace and War — Georgian Dream opens its election campaign 🧵
Yesterday the party founder and Georgia's richest man, also known as the Russian oligarch, Bidzina Ivanishvili, delivered another Orwellian speech at the campaign and brand-new party office opening.
Beyond neglecting Georgia's halted EU accession process amid Russian law and the government's increasingly antidemocratic, anti-Western stance, Georgian Dream offered its vision for EU integration: "only with peace, dignity, and prosperity," hinting not on Brussels' terms.
Ivanishvili pushed the Global War Party conspiracy all the way, which he claims controls the Western global powers (EU, US, NATO). He claimed the GWP attempted to turn Georgia into a "second front," incited "NGO-led revolutions" and appointed "revolutionary committees".