The Upcoming Elections: GD Confident of a Win, US Partners Express Hopes for Georgia’s Continued Democracy

I do not need these polls, I can feel that Georgian Dream is enjoying significantly more support, - Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia told reporters this week, following the release of Survation poll results, according to which Georgian Dream is in the lead with 55.7%.

The head of the government then called again on GD supporters to go to the elections to express their opinion calmly, peacefully, and with the highest standards of justice and dignity.

“These [Survation results] are rather cautious numbers. I’ve had many meetings during the last two months. I don’t need these polls: I can feel that Georgian Dream is enjoying significantly more support, and we will see this at the elections. Our opponents can feel this too, hence the hysteria and the commotion that we hear, and with which, unfortunately, we will have to coexist over the next days. No doubt it will be quite toxic. I would like to once again call on our supporters to go to the elections to express their opinion calmly, peacefully, and with the highest standards of justice and dignity, and I am certain that this will be a convincing victory not just for Georgian Dream, but for Georgia as well, as another step forward for Georgian democracy," PM Gakharia stated.

Safe to Vote

“I would like to tell our citizens that visiting some shopping malls can be much riskier than voting at a polling station,” the Georgian PM noted at a meeting of the Interagency Council on Coronavirus, adding: “We will defeat the pandemic, regardless of how this might upset many people. We will hold the elections in an open and democratic manner, Georgian Dream will win, and we will begin implementing the post-crisis economic plan the very next day, with the creation of jobs as the main goal,” he told reporters.

The US Ambassador & Congressman Adam Kinzinger on the October 31 Vote

“Ultimately, the success of these elections is up to the Georgian government and the Georgian people. And we hope that Georgians will go out there and vote, and make sure that their voices are heard at the ballot box,” US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan stated in an interview with acting Public Affairs Officer Christopher Anderson this week.

“I would just encourage people to wear a mask, social distance, but please get out there and cast your votes! There has been a lot of work put into making it possible for people to vote safely despite the COVID-19 pandemic. But, ultimately, the success of these elections is up to the Georgian government and the Georgian people,” she stated.

“The US has been supporting elections in Georgia for over 20 years, partnering with the Central Election Commission (CEC), to build its systems and procedures; working with the legislature to develop election legislation that meets international standards; helping political parties to focus their platforms and programs on voter priorities instead of this very divisive personality politics.

“This year, the US has done some extra work with the CEC to try and ensure that voters can vote safely, despite the COVID pandemic, to try to protect voter information, private information from potential cyber-attacks, and also trying to help them to strengthen their systems against foreign interference in the form of the disinformation campaigns,” noted Degnan.

She said the US is working very closely with monitoring organizations, both local and international.

“They play such an important role. We also work closely with Georgian civil society organizations like GYLA, ISFED, TI, PMMG, and international organizations like NDI, IRI, IFES. These are highly respected professional organizations that perform a very important role in any election,” she said.

Ambassador Degnan closed by saying she would like to see “candidates that focus on explaining how they are going to meet voters' priorities, like creating jobs and stimulating growth. I’d love to see an end to the policy of individuals that has so polarized Georgian society and that just opens the way for Russia and other malign actors to create divisions.”

“I sincerely hope that the Georgian people will be able to participate in a fair and transparent election process this weekend, with a result that will be decided only by the Georgian people,” Congressman Adam Kinzinger, Co-chair of the Friends of Georgia Group in the United States Congress, said in an interview with the Georgian edition of VOA this week. “This is an important step for their democracy and should be conducted without interference or incident. I will be monitoring the election this weekend and will continue to play an active role in making Georgia an important partner for the United States.”