UNM Claims Georgia’s Ruling Party Plans to Ban Soldiers, Police from Voting

TBILISI - Opposition party member Giga Bokeria from the United National Movement (UNM) said late Friday that the government plans to bar most soldiers and policemen from voting in Saturday’s parliamentary elections.

Bokeria claims Georgia’s Defense Minister Levan Izoria issued an order keeping all active armed forces members with their units during the elections.

He also said the order extends to all on-duty police officers, who will be consigned to their precinct stations for the time polls are open.

Bokeria called on the ruling party Georgian Dream (GD) and Georgia’s former Prime Minister and GD founder Bidzina Ivanishvili to order Izoria to his decision by tomorrow morning.

“I understand that all of you in the Georgian Dream realize that a large part of the army and police oppose your policies and will not vote for you. You cannot save yourselves by banning them from voting,” Bokeria said.

Both the Ministries of Defense and Internal Affairs rejected the claim, saying Bokeria’s accusations were groundless.

The Defense Ministry released a special statement in response to the UNM’s claim saying active duty military personnel who are unable to go to a polling station near their residence address, can vote at special polling places that will be set up near their military units.

“All military personnel…will be able to vote according to where they’re registered to vote,” the statement reads.

The Government later demanded that the UNM and other parties refrain from disseminating false information.

The UNM’s claims are likely to be seen as little political gamesmanship ahead of Saturday’s elections. Both the UNM and GD fear low voter turnout could harm their chances of coming out on top in the polls.

The two parties spent most of Friday pleading with the public to vote in the country’s first national election since 2012.

By Thea Morrison

Edited by Nicholas Waller

Photo: Eurasia.net