GEORGIA: Tensionruns high as supporters of Bidzina Ivanishvili's Georgian Dream party demand vote recount districts where President Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement is leading
Record ID:
327828
GEORGIA: Tensionruns high as supporters of Bidzina Ivanishvili's Georgian Dream party demand vote recount districts where President Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement is leading
- Title: GEORGIA: Tensionruns high as supporters of Bidzina Ivanishvili's Georgian Dream party demand vote recount districts where President Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement is leading
- Date: 5th October 2012
- Summary: TBILISI, GEORGIA (OCTOBER 4, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION BUILDING EKA AZARASHVILI, CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION SPOKESPERSON WALKING INTO ROOM TO MEET MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Georgian) EKA AZARASHVILI, CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION SPOKESPERSON, SAYING: "We want to inform you about the situation in the regional district election commissions. The session of the Signagi district commission was held against the background of protests, which created such a tension that the commission members were able to leave the building only after the police intervention. After the session the chairperson and his family members were threatened and the central election commission member was physically abused." JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Georgian) EKA AZARASHVILI, CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION SPOKESPERSON, SAYING: "As for Terjola, probably you all saw the video showing (people) breaking into the district commission building, and understand in what kind of situation the commission members had to work."
- Embargoed: 20th October 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Georgia
- Country: Georgia
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVABAV9HNMIF637V6Q5D05V64EES
- Story Text: Georgia's Central Election Commission said on Wednesday (October 4) that Georgian Dream activists and supporters create unacceptable conditions for the work of election officials in various parts of Georgia hindering vote count.
"We want to inform you about the situation in the regional district election commissions. The session of the Signagi district commission was held against the background of protests, which created such a tension that the commission members were able to leave the building only after the police intervention. Afters the session the chairperson and his family members were threatened and the central election commission member was physically abused," Central Election Commission spokesperson, Eka Azarashvili, told journalists who came to a news conference expecting to hear final results of October 1 parliamentary elections.
"As for Terjola, probably you all saw the vide showing (people) breaking into the district commission building, and understand in what kind of situation the commission members had to work," Azarashvili said.
Billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili's Georgian Dream (GD) coalition disputes election results in several single-mandate constituencies where President Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement (UNM) candidates won.
In Terjola in western Georgia supporters and activists of the GD rallied outside the polling station demanding vote recount. Some protesters tried to break into the building as others broke windows of the polling station.
Although it is known that the GD coalition will get majority of seats in the new parliament, the exact distribution of seats between the rival parties remain unclear. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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