GDDG Politicians React to Exit Poll Results

Three separate exit polls showed contradictory results in Georgia’s Presidential Elections.

Leaders of the Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia, as well as the candidate endorsed by the ruling party, have reacted to the results. Here are some of their remarks:

GDDG leader Bidzina Ivanishvili: We are close to 53-54%, but these are exit poll results, we have to wait for the Central Election Commission (CEC). They (the opposition) are planning unrest, but the police are mobilized; the state agencies are mobilized. I think that they will fail, but the United National Movement has always had this temptation.

Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze: First of all, I would like to congratulate everyone on the completion of these elections in a peaceful, free and democratic environment; I would like to thank each citizen on their participation and for the high civic culture [they have shown]. As the exit poll has demonstrated, Salome Zurabishvili is convincingly winning the elections. Now, we should wait for the procedures of the CEC [to be completed], for the results of vote tabulation. Let me seize upon this opportunity and thank all those who were involved in administering these elections, as well as international and local election observation organizations, who were actively involved throughout the entire election process.

Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze: Let me congratulate Salome Zurabishvili on her convincing victory. Of course, the United National Movement has the right to hold its own exit polls, but we are responsible for the results released by us … As for the second round, it depends on vote tabulation … I call on you to wait for final results and we will know whether we will need the second round runoff. But as you see, the elections will end in the first round with high probability.

Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze: I want to start by thanking all those people who fulfilled their civic duty and came to cast their vote. I want to particularly thank the supporters of the Georgian Dream who had really worked hard for this result to come true. The most important thing, is that the elections were held in a calm, free and transparent environment, where throughout the electoral process all candidates could present their vision to the population. As for the preliminary results, the exit poll that we have presented gave data for 19:00, and Salome Zurabishvili leads with a significant margin. I want to congratulate her with this victory, but we have yet to wait for the [official] results from the CEC… Once again, I congratulate Madam Salome Zurabishvili with this convincing victory… I find it difficult to comment on the exit polls published by them [Rustavi 2, European Georgia]. I would simply say that if we glance at their exit polls, the public opinion surveys released for the past years, the real results were absolutely different [from what they had published]. So we could say and conclude, that these are fake [polls], since for years their results differed from what people decided. Both of these parties [UNM and European Georgia] are one big United National Movement, bluntly speaking – two branches on one dried tree.

GDDG-backed presidential candidate Salome Zurabishvili: I would like to thank everyone, first of all the voters; although exit polls show convincing victory, the final results will be announced by CEC. So, let’s wait for the CEC results. I am very happy, but I am also reticent.

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