Irakli Okruashvili Acknowledged Defeat in Gori

Lado Bichashvili, Shida Kartli

In the second round of the Gori city mayor’s elections Zurab Jirkvelishvili of the Georgian Dream gained 62,23% of votes and defeated his rival – Kakhaber Ergemlidze from the Georgian Party – Irakli Okruashvili with 3 834 votes. The letter gained only 37, 77 % of votes in the second round of polls.

Candidate of the Georgian Dream won the Gori district governor’s elections too. Davit Oniashvili, candidate for the district governor’s position, defeated his rival Bondo Vatiashvili from Irakli Okruashvili – Georgian Party with 9 068 votes. Davit Oniashvili gained 66, 95% of votes and Bondo Vatiashvili – 33, 05%.

Malkhaz Miruashvili, chairman of Gori DEC # 32: “About 40% of voters took part in the polls. As for violations, the DEC has received only three complaints about procedural that could not at all influence the final results of elections. We will wait for complaints for another two days. All in all, I am glad to note that elections were conducted in peaceful environment without any significant incidents in Gori district.”

Irakli Okruashvili responded to the election results and acknowledged the defeat in it; he added they had lost elections in a rough contest. 

Irakli Okruashvili: Considering the injustice, which we endured during pre-election period, when I was not allowed to participate in the elections, we managed to achieve quite good results though we lost polls and we do acknowledge it. Both the ruling party and United National Movement including their minor allies were unified against us. In similar situation we received a good result. We have not finished struggle; we are not going to surrender.”

During the press-conference with journalists Irakli Okruashvili did not mention concrete fact when Georgian Dream’s representatives bribed voters but he noted that they had detected similar facts. 

Zurab Jirkvelishvili, elected mayor from the Georgian Dream, said they had not bribed voters.

Zurab Jirkvelishvili, Gori mayor-elect: “I do not think I have to respond to similar accusation because it is scurrilous lie… the results were very acceptable for me. We have gained high number of votes. It could not be otherwise. Okruashvili does not have and will never have chance to win elections in Gori.”

In the second round of elections, number of supporters of the Georgian Party –Irakli Okruashvili had slightly increased in comparison to the first round. As for the votes gained by the Georgian Dream, it was almost doubled in the second round.