Georgia election body confirms ruling party’s disputed win amid protests

Thousands of people are protesting in Georgia after the election commission confirmed the governing party as the winner of last month’s disputed parliamentary polls.

The Caucasus nation’s Central Electoral Commission (CEC) said on Saturday that the Russia-friendly Georgian Dream party won 53.93 percent of the vote, against 37.79 percent garnered by an alliance of pro-Western opposition groups.

The final results give Georgian Dream 89 seats in the 150-member parliament, which the opposition has refused to enter based on allegations of tampered results.

During a confrontational session of the election commission, opposition representative Davit Kirtadze splashed black paint on the CEC chief, Giorgi Kalandarishvili.

He shouted that the commission head has been moving Georgia towards Russia instead of the European Union. The Ministry of Internal Affairs said it has initiated a criminal investigation against Kirtadze.

There have been a string of protests drawing tens of thousands following the October 26 parliamentary vote.

There were mass student protests at universities on Friday evening in big cities across Georgia, including at Tbilisi State University, which lasted until after midnight.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and the president have also been clashing, with President Salome Zourabishvili describing the vote as illegitimate and accusing Russia of interference.

The EU and the United States have said the election must be investigated for “irregularities”. Russia has denied any meddling.

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