Georgia’s opposition plans protest against governing party’s declared election victory

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Opposition supporters successful Georgia planned to clasp a protestation successful nan country’s superior connected Monday against nan official results of a play parliamentary predetermination successful which nan governing statement was declared victorious amid voting irregularities and allegations of Russian meddling.

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili said Sunday she did not admit nan charismatic results and that nan state had fallen unfortunate to a “Russian typical operation” aimed astatine pulling it backmost into Moscow’s orbit and derailing its scheme to subordinate nan European Union.

Zourabichvili, a fierce professional of nan governing party, urged Georgians to rally connected nan main thoroughfare of nan capital, Tbilisi, connected Monday nighttime to protestation what she called a “total falsification, a full stealing of your votes,” raising nan imaginable of much governmental turmoil successful nan South Caucasus nation.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said connected nan societal media level X that “the Georgian group embraced populist yesterday” and urged Georgia’s governmental leaders to “respect nan norm of law, repeal authorities that undermines basal freedoms, reside deficiencies successful nan electoral process, and move Georgia toward its Euro-Atlantic future.”

The Central Election Commission said Sunday that nan governing Georgian Dream statement received 54.8% of Saturday’s votes pinch almost each ballots counted. The statement — established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a shadowy billionaire who made his luck successful Russia — has go progressively authoritarian complete nan past year, adopting laws akin to those utilized by nan Kremlin to ace down connected state of speech.

The EU suspended Georgia’s rank exertion process indefinitely because of a Russian-style “foreign power law” passed successful June. Many Georgians viewed Saturday’s ballot arsenic a pivotal referendum connected nan opportunity to subordinate nan EU.

The predetermination run successful nan federation of 3.7 cardinal people, which borders Russia, was marked by a bitter conflict for votes and allegations of a smear campaign. European electoral observers said nan predetermination took spot successful a “divisive” situation marked by intimidation and instances of ballot buying, double voting and beingness violence.

During nan campaign, Georgian Dream utilized “anti-Western and dispute rhetoric ... promoted Russian misinformation, manipulations, and conspiracy theories,” said Antonio López-Istúriz White, nan caput of nan European Parliament monitoring delegation.

The predetermination observers said instances of intimidation and electoral violations were peculiarly noticeable successful agrarian areas.

Georgian Dream scored its highest stock of nan ballot — almost 90% — successful nan Javakheti region of confederate Georgia. In nan superior it received nary much than 44% successful immoderate district.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, a personnel of Georgian Dream, connected Sunday described his party’s occurrence arsenic “impressive and obvious,” and that “any attempts to talk astir predetermination manipulation ... are doomed to failure.”

Initial figures suggested elector turnout was nan highest since Georgian Dream was first elected successful 2012. The statement has vowed to proceed nan push toward EU accession but besides “reset” ties pinch Georgia’s erstwhile imperial master, Russia. In 2008, Georgia fought and mislaid a little warfare pinch Russia, which past recognized nan independency of 2 breakaway Georgian regions and beefed up its subject beingness there.

The president of nan European Council, Charles Michel, called connected Georgian officials to “swiftly, transparently and independently investigate” nan electoral irregularities and urged nan governing statement to show its “firm commitment” to nan EU.

Hungary’s Victor Orbán was nan first overseas leader to congratulate Georgian Dream and will beryllium nan first to sojourn Georgia and meet nan premier curate during a travel to Tbilisi connected Monday and Tuesday.

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Associated Press journalist Sophiko Megrelidze contributed to this report.