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Georgia’s president said on Sunday she does not recognize the results of recent parliamentary elections and urged Georgians to protest by taking to the streets of Tbilisi on Monday.
Alongside members of the opposition, Salome Zourabichvili called on the Georgian people to rise up against what she called “total fraud” and “theft of your votes”, accusing Russia of interference in the elections.
“This election cannot be recognized, because it is the recognition of Russia’s intrusion here, of Georgia’s subordination to Russia,” she said.
Georgia, like Moldova a week earlier, voted on its future bid to join the European Union, but election results show the Russian-backed party in the lead.
The Georgian Dream party won nearly 55 percent of the vote after the final count. Over the past year, the party has implemented a series of laws that resemble Russian policies, including those that restrict freedom of speech.
The European Union has since suspended Georgia’s membership application after the country passed legislation aimed at limiting the influence of foreign media.
Meanwhile, Moldova narrowly voted to join the European Union in the near future two weeks ago. Incumbent President Maia Sandu received the most votes in the first round and will face the Russian-backed candidate in the runoff.
