Voters Fight to Protect Their Votes in Terjola

Mari Tabidze, Terjola

On October 2-3 a demonstration was held in front of Terjola DEC # 49 to protect the votes of Georgian Dream’s majoritarian candidate Zaal Gogsadze. The demonstrators protested against the results of the District Election Commission and demanded a re-count in several polling stations and cancellation of results from one special polling station.

Nakhshirgele Special Polling Station # 34 is located on the firing ground of the Simoneti infantry brigade # 3 in Terjola DEC # 49. Soldiers did not have the right to elect a majortiarian candidate because only 17 soldiers were residents of Terjola district.

“We requested cancellation of results from Special PS # 34 where a majoritarian candidate was elected through a violation of the law. DEC discussed Georgian Dream’s September 29 complaint the day after the elections. The complaint was about people listed on the military special list who were registered in different municipalities. Only 17 out of 87 registered soldiers were residents of Terjola district. The commission did not satisfy the request and every soldier voted for the majoritarian candidate too,” Georgian Dream’s majoritarian candidate in Terjola Zaal Gogsadze said.

A week before the Election Day unofficial information was spread that soldiers from Khoni military base were posted to those municipalities where National Movement’s majoritarian candidates were more likely to lose the elections. 1 500 soldiers were deployed from Khoni military base.

Only 159 voters participated in the elections from the military base in the Special PS # 30 in Khoni DEC # 55. It is unlikely that only 159 voters took part in the ballot whilst the military base hosts 2 000 soldiers.

Zaal Gogsadze said there was no military base in Terjola before and it “appeared” a short time before the Election Day.

On October 3, Georgian Dream’s supporters from Zestaponi, Kutaisi and Tkibuli and newly elected majoritarian candidates joined the protest demonstration in front of Terjola DEC. Gubaz Sanikidze stated at the demonstration that it is useless to hold rallies in front of the DEC because this process shall continue in a different institution: the court.”

Zaal Gogsadze urged people to be calm and to avoid possible provocation. Later on, somebody threw an unaddressed and anonymous letter from the DEC office which stated: “We are being oppressed by senior institutions; do not let us leave the office.”

At the same time as the demonstration was going on, Zestaponi district police officers were being mobilized in Terjola. At about 7:00 pm riot police entered the town center. On October 4, Georgian Dream’s demonstration stopped in front of the Terjola DEC #49. However, coalition activists claim that they will win back the votes through the court.