US State Department awaits evidence from Georgian president Amid election fraud investigations

Addressing a briefing, Matthew Miller, a Spokesperson for the US Department of State, expressed anticipation that Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili would provide critical information regarding potential violations during the parliamentary elections.

Miller highlighted that the US has already initiated discussions with European partners to determine any additional investigations that may be warranted. “I'll let the president speak for herself, but as I understand it, she mentioned having information about violations. We hope she can provide relevant details for any investigation, whether conducted by Georgian authorities or others,” Miller stated, Caliber.Az reports per Russian media.

On October 30, the Georgian prosecutor's office launched an inquiry into allegations of electoral fraud in the recent parliamentary elections. President Zourabichvili has been summoned for questioning, with the case initiated following a request from the Central Election Commission on the same day. The president is expected to meet with investigators on October 31, as the CEC indicated that she should present evidence of possible election falsification.

The parliamentary elections, held on October 26, resulted in a victory for the ruling Georgian Dream party, which secured 54.3 per cent of the vote. President Zourabichvili characterized the election as a “total fraud,” and opposition parties have refused to recognize the results, calling for a re-vote. Protests have erupted outside the parliament building in Tbilisi in response to the election outcomes.

Earlier, Zourabichvili addressed what actions the West should take to prevent Georgia from falling under Russian influence.

By Vafa Guliyeva