17 May 2019, 10:09
TIG demands inquiry into election violations in Georgian Zugdidi
Georgian authorities should promptly investigate reports about the incidents during the election campaign in the city of Zugdidi, the "Transparency International Georgia" (TIG) has stated. The opposition believes that the so-called "thieves in law" are trying to influence the election outcomes in favour of the candidate from the ruling "Georgian Dream" Party. The latter has rejected the accusations, stating that opponents are trying to give a negative colour to the election of the Mayor of Zugdidi.
On May 14, Sandra Roelofs, the oppositional candidate for Zugdidi Mayor, told about an attack on her and a fight with the filming crew of the Georgian TV company.
Currently, 16 candidates run for the post of Mayor of Zugdidi; the main struggle is among Giorgi Shengeliya, a candidate from the ruling "Georgian Dream-Democratic Movement" Party, and Sandra Roelofs, the wife of the third Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili. The campaign takes place with the use of the black PR methods.
The TIG, a non-governmental organization (NGO), has called on Georgian law enforcement bodies to investigate the facts of criminal pressure during the election campaign in Zugdidi and punish those guilty.
"Such incidents like the attack on Sandra Roelofs and information about possible bribing of voters, of course, undermine the democracy," Archil Todua, the TIG's regional coordinator in Zugdidi, has stated.
Opponents in Zugdidi are trying to impart a negative colour to the upcoming elections of the Mayor, because they know that the ruling party has a strong candidate, the "Sputnik-Georgia" quotes Zviad Dzidziguri, the Vice-Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, as saying.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 17, 2019 at 05:30 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: Beslan Kmuzov, Inna Kukudjanova Source: CK correspondents
