TBILISI, Georgia (AP) 鈥 Georgia鈥檚 president on Monday urged the West to support opposition protests of the official results of a weekend parliamentary election in which the governing party was declared victorious amid voting irregularities and allegations of Russian meddling.
President Salome Zourabichvili, who refused to recognize the official results, told The Associated Press that the South Caucasus nation has fallen victim to Russian pressure aimed at derailing Georgia's plans to join the European Union.
鈥淲e鈥檝e seen that Russian propaganda was directly used,鈥 said Zourabichvili, a fierce critic of Georgian Dream, the governing party. She said the government has been 鈥渨orking hand-in-hand with Russia,鈥 and 鈥減robably鈥 received help from Moscow's security services.
On Sunday, Zourabichvili stood alongside opposition leaders and urged Georgians to join a rally on the main street of the capital, Tbilisi, on Monday night to protest what she called a 鈥渢otal falsification, a total stealing of your votes.鈥
The Central Election Commission said the Georgian Dream party received 54.8% of Saturday鈥檚 votes with almost all ballots counted. The party 鈥 established by who made his fortune in Russia 鈥 has become increasingly authoritarian in the past year, adopting laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights.
Protest is the only way Georgians can 鈥渆xpress that their votes have been stolen, that their future has been stolen,鈥 she told AP in an interview.
She said she hopes the U.S. and EU back the demonstrations.
鈥淲e need to have the firm support of our European partners, of our American partners,鈥 Zourabichvili said, adding that it was in the interests of 鈥渁 powerful Europe鈥 to be present in the Caucasus and for the region to be stable.
Asked if she wants sanctions imposed on Georgian officials, Zourabichvili said it's up to Western leaders but that 鈥渃ertainly time has not come to to renew relations with authorities that are not legitimate at this point.鈥
In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Georgia鈥檚 political leaders to 鈥渞espect the rule of law, repeal legislation that undermines fundamental freedoms, address deficiencies in the electoral process, and move Georgia toward its Euro-Atlantic future.鈥
The Kremlin has rejected the accusations of interference.
鈥淲e aren鈥檛 meddling in Georgia鈥檚 internal affairs, and we have no intention of meddling,鈥 Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. He countered that it was the West that had tried to influence the vote.
Asked about Zourabichvili鈥檚 call for the Georgians to join protests, he described it as an attempt to destabilize the country.
Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili, a member of Georgian Dream, accused the president of creating 鈥渁 coup scenario鈥 that goes 鈥渁gainst the constitutional order and democratic elections.鈥
The EU suspended Georgia鈥檚 membership application process indefinitely because of a Russian-style passed in June. Many Georgians viewed Saturday鈥檚 vote as a pivotal referendum on the opportunity to join the EU.
The election campaign in the nation of 3.7 million people, which borders Russia, was marked by a bitter fight for votes and allegations of a smear campaign. European observers said the election took place in a 鈥渄ivisive鈥 environment marked by intimidation and instances of vote-buying, double voting and physical violence.
During the campaign, Georgian Dream used 鈥渁nti-Western and hostile rhetoric ... promoted Russian misinformation, manipulations, and conspiracy theories,鈥 said Antonio L贸pez-Ist煤riz White, head of the European Parliament monitoring delegation.
Election observers said instances of intimidation and other violations were particularly noticeable in rural areas.
Georgian Dream scored its highest share of the vote 鈥 almost 90% 鈥 in the Javakheti region of southern Georgia. In the capital it received no more than 44% in any district.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, a member of Georgian Dream, described his party鈥檚 success as 鈥渋mpressive and obvious,鈥 and that 鈥渁ny attempts to talk about election manipulation ... are doomed to failure.鈥
Initial figures suggested voter turnout was the highest since Georgian Dream was first elected in 2012. The party has vowed to continue pushing toward EU accession but also wants to 鈥渞eset鈥 ties with Georgia鈥檚 former imperial master, Russia. In 2008, Georgia fought and lost a brief war with Russia, which then recognized the independence of two breakaway Georgian regions and bolstered its military presence there.
European Council President Charles Michel urged Georgian officials to 鈥渟wiftly, transparently and independently investigate鈥 the electoral irregularities and said Georgian Dream should demonstrate its 鈥渇irm commitment鈥 to the EU.
Hungary鈥檚 Victor Orb谩n was the first foreign leader to congratulate Georgian Dream and will visit Georgia on Monday and Tuesday.
Zourabichvili said he was a 鈥渟pecial friend鈥 of Georgian Dream and dismissed his visit as a 鈥減olitical play.鈥
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Associated Press journalist Sophiko Megrelidze contributed.
