“Local Government Elections Will Be Falsified!” – Predictions About Election Results

“Local Government Elections Will Be Falsified!” –
Predictions About Election Results

In recent days, activists from the “National Movement” have been distributing cereal and various other products to the population in the Telavi region. A small segment of the community was satisfied with the parcels they were given, but most Telavi dwellers state that they have been offered products in exchange for their votes in the upcoming elections.

„National Movement“ members state that the aid is given to the people by the local government and not by the “National Movement” - the party only assists in the distribution of the products.

In Telavi they also say that the “National Movement” has already launched its pre-election campaign and it is using every chance to collect votes. People employed by state run organizations do not hide the fact that they are ordered to agitate in favor of the National Movement – if they do not they are threatened with unemployment.

According to Imeda Kevlishvili, the Executive Secretary of the National Movement’s regional branch in Telavi, the organization has not yet launched its pre-election campaign. He insists that the local government aids the poorest people by giving them products. As for demanding votes in exchange for products, he declares that, “nobody would make the poorest people vote Nationals”. Imeda Kevlishvili states he is ready to find out every act of intimidation exercised by the National Movement and react to it properly.

“It is nonsense when they say we have already launched the campaign. If I learn that any member of the National Party is demanding votes in exchange for aid, I would certainly be interested in finding out about it. The accusations are absurd…”declares Kevlishvili.

Telavi dwellers state that the National Party has opened election HQs in nearly every district of Telavi City. HQ members use to gather there at least twice a week. Telavi dwellers also speak about a census of the population being launched and during the process National Party coordinators ask for the code numbers of their identity cards.

The Telavi population forecasts that the “National Movement” is getting ready for electoral fraud. “They came to my family and registered every member. It is not strange at all; they use to do this all the time. I got suspicious after they asked me number of my identity card. I think they are planning something, but exactly what I cannot guess…” states Vano Orkodashvili.

While some Telavi dwellers cannot guess why they are being asked to give their passport code numbers, another group interprets the situation in a different way. “When they have the code numbers off all the passports and identity cards, the votes of those, who do not take part in the elections, will be cast in their favor…” declares Shalva Maisuradze from Telavi.

Meri Lazariashvilli considers the distribution of products to the people as a part of electoral campaign and both the National Party and the local government need passport code numbers to falsify elections. “The government and the National Party plan to falsify the elections. This government does not have mercy for anyone without their own selfish motives. When you have mercy for someone without any selfishness, you should not ask them if they are going to vote for you or not…” declares M. Lazariashvili.

Imeda Kevlishvili, Executive Secretary of the “National Movement”, Telavi regional branch, states that their party did not launch a census and nobody has asked for the code numbers of people’s identity cards.

One segment of the Telavi population also protests that the Nationals do not aid people who criticize them and there are frequent occasions when well-off families receive aid.

“My family and I support the “Republican Party”. We always use to state this loudly. Nobody has aided us. Though, my neighbors were given rice, macaroni and oil. They are quite well-off people, but one of their family members is a teacher at the school, another one works at a hospital. People employed at state offices are threatened with being fired and so they automatically turn into National Party supporters and agitators…” declares G. Shiukashvili, living in Telavi.

According to Imeda Shiukashvili, Executive Secretary of the “National Movement”, Telavi regional branch, this accusation is groundless as well. Kevlishvili expresses his wish to meet these oppressed people “to properly find out the facts”. Nobody meets him however - they say they would be almost guaranteed of losing their jobs.

A small number of ‘ungrateful’ Telavi dwellers refuse to receive products from the Nationals. “They told me that if I vote in favor of the National Party, they would give me kilos of rice and macaroni, but I did not let them in. I will not be sold for rice. When I get through that rice, I would be hungry again and my conscious would be troubled at the same time…” states Natela Tushishvili.

A census of the population is being performed by the Telavi Regional Department of the Ministry of Interior as well. Some of the police meet with families and register real people. Other police officers however, and not a small number of them, are satisfied with the lists given to them by councils, although these lists tend to enroll dead people as well.

Telavi policemen insist that “this census has nothing to do with the elections”. They state that they are merely complying with orders from the Ministry of Interior.

Despite the fact that there is an increasing feeling of discontent amongst the Telavi population, they all forecast the same outcome in the elections: “The local government elections will be falsified”.

Veriko Kobiashvili, Telavi