Sat Nov 16 18:53:02 IST 2024: ## Georgian Election Official Attacked with Paint Amidst Vote-Rigging Claims
**Tbilisi, Georgia –** The head of Georgia’s Central Election Commission (CEC), Giorgi Kalandarishvili, was attacked with black paint Saturday by an opposition member during a meeting to confirm the results of the October 26 parliamentary elections. David Kirtadze, a CEC member from the opposition United National Movement party, threw the paint, claiming the results – a 53.93% victory for the ruling Georgian Dream party – did not reflect the true will of the voters.
The incident, which occurred amidst protests outside the CEC building in Tbilisi, interrupted the proceedings. Kalandarishvili, appearing later with a bandaged eye, dismissed the accusations of vote rigging, stating that the attack itself demonstrated a lack of concrete evidence.
Opposition groups have widely rejected the election results, citing allegations of bribery, double voting, and physical violence. These claims are supported by European election observers who described the election atmosphere as “divisive.” The election was seen by many Georgians as a referendum on the country’s EU aspirations, a process currently suspended due to controversial legislation passed earlier this year.
President Salome Zourabichvili, who also rejected the official results, has accused Russia of pressuring Georgia to hinder its EU integration efforts and has called for US and EU support for the ongoing demonstrations. While Washington and Brussels have urged a full investigation into the election irregularities, the Kremlin has denied any interference. The Georgian Dream party, founded by Russian-based billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, has been accused by critics of increasingly authoritarian tendencies and pro-Moscow leanings.
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