Gigi Ugulava, a member of the Unity - National Movement coalition, stated that prior to the parliamentary elections in Kutaisi, there are plans to confiscate the identity cards of opposition voters. He indicated that local leaders of the ruling party assigned this task to 200 to 250 civil servants gathered at the Ramaz Shengelia Stadium on October 7 at 6 PM.
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“With the boldness of Gia Basiladze, the deputy chairman of the city council and local chairman of Georgian Dream, and the support of fellow city council member [Bakari] Makharadze, a meeting of civil servants was organized at the stadium. They were tasked with using local authorities by any means necessary to confiscate the identity cards of opposition supporters on October 25 and return them on October 27. This information was provided to us directly by a person who attended the meeting, whose identity we are keeping anonymous; however, we have already met with international observers and shared this information with them in detail," Ugulava stated at today’s briefing.
Ugulava also noted that representatives from the central office of Georgian Dream and the State Security Service from Tbilisi attended the meeting.
“Do you believe Ugulava’s statement?” Gia Basiladze, the deputy chairman of the Kutaisi City Council, declined to comment on the matter and hung up the phone.
As the parliamentary elections approach, representatives of Georgian Dream in public services and budget organizations are requesting that employees submit the personal identification numbers of their family members.
As per Article 162 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, obstructing the implementation of electoral will is a crime. Such actions are punishable by a fine or correctional labor for up to one year or imprisonment for up to two years. If the same act is committed by an official in an official capacity, using a weapon, by deception, violence, or threats of violence, or as part of a group, it is punishable by a fine or imprisonment for two to three years.
