Statement by Mamuka Mdinaradze, Executive Secretary of the Georgian Dream

As you know, two days are left before the local elections. It is clear that the pre-election campaign was conducted in unprecedented peaceful environment. No significant irregularities were observed which could have even slight influence of the election results. Despite numerous provocations in recent days, the UNM has not been able to artificially worsen pre-election environment. I would like to especially thank the members and supporters of the party Georgian Dream for peacefully response to several insults and provocations by the destructive opposition.

Special attention is needed on the election day. Provocative and destructive actions are expected from radical opposition. There is a lot of leaked information about destructive plans from the offices of the United National Movement. We will take your attention solely on major expected provocations and destructive actions:

• They are willing to make numerous complaints in the election administration, as it happened after the parliamentary elections 2020. The purpose of this is, on the one hand, to artificially increase the number of complaints, and on the other hand, to create an artificial obstacle to the work of the commissions. We would also like to remind you that since the introduction of electronic platform, the submission of complaints to election commissions has been substantially simplified.
• In some polling stations they plan to steal election inventory and documentation (election lists, stamps).
• As in all previous elections, opposition representatives plan to artificially cause imbalances by manipulating signatures and removing ballot papers from the polling stations;
• In order to reduce the voter turnout, it is planned to create artificial queues at the polling stations;

Also, members of the commission appointed by the radical opposition are instructed by the UNM not to sign polling station protocols even if no election irregularities are reported at the polling station. Naturally, the persons who issued and execute that kind of illegal instructions will be responsible to the law.

In addition, we have information that the heads of the UNM headquarters are issuing orders to disrupt polling stations. For example, we have information that the Batumi mayoral candidate of the UNM, Giorgi Kirtadze personally met with the members of  election commission appointed by UNM and instructed them to disrupt more than 20 polling stations (The numbers of that electoral districts are: 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 11, 15, 17, 19, 23, 21, 61, 62, 64, 71, 72, 20, 28, 27, 102 and 103). We would like to remind everyone that artificially disrupting a polling station is a criminal offense and everyone will be severely punished for such action.

It is clear that the above-mentioned provocations are main challenges of the election day, which is a characteristic of the UNM. Moreover, it is planned to verbally abuse the members of electoral commissions, representatives and observers, in order to inspire physical confrontation on the ground. The National Movement has already piloted such provocations in recent days through Zviad Kuprava. We warn the radical opposition that such actions will not go unpunished and all offenders will be held accountable.

The Georgian Dream fully realizes the responsibility it has to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections. Accordingly, we will do our best to enable voters to vote in a free and peaceful environment. On October 2^nd , we call on everyone to be as active as possible.