Top Opposition Leader Talks “Void Elections, Uncompromising Fight”

Opposition United National Movement candidate for Tbilisi Mayor, Nika Melia said elections are “void” in Georgia because former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, the ruling Georgian Dream party founder, “took away and stole” victories from the opposition in “many municipalities” in October 30 runoffs.

In his brief announcement in the small hours of October 31, coming shortly after the preliminary results published by the Central Election Commission showed Georgian Dream candidates securing victories in 19 out of 20 mayoral runoffs, Melia vowed to pursue “uncompromising fight.”

Noting that opposition groups will unveil “concrete plan” later during the day, the United National Movement leader called on supporters to brace themselves for “riveting, yet tough adventure.”

• First Results: GD Leads 18 Mayoral Races, Loses Tsalenjikha
• UNM Pledges Coalition Governance in Kutaisi, Batumi, Poti
• Melia Unveils Shadow Coalition Cabinet for Tbilisi City Hall

“The fight will be uncompromising, narrow party interests exist here no longer… The coalition unity has worked. Now the task is to make the coalition even broader,” Melia said, adding that the opposition coalition in this fight should include everyone, who reckons that “[genuine] elections in this country will never be held under Ivanishvili.”

The preliminary results show Georgian Dream Mayoral hopefuls winning 19 mayoral races, including all five self-governing cities of the capital city Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi, Rustavi and Poti. The UNM candidate is leading in western Tsalenjikha municipality race.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)