Georgian Dream accused of pressuring opposition and bribing voters
Ahead of the parliamentary elections to be held in Georgia on October 26, the Center for Democracy Studies published a report on the pre-election situation in the country. According to its data, the ruling Georgian Dream party uses violence and pressure on the opposition, uses state resources for its own purposes, and drives civil servants and public sector employees to its events.
“Cases of violent interference in the opposition’s election campaign, as well as attempts to exert psychological pressure on civil servants and socially vulnerable groups of the population, have been documented,” the report says.
In addition, according to the document, teachers, medical staff and other civil servants have been repeatedly sent to Georgian Dream events during working hours, which violates the law. Many initiatives and programs aimed at young people and offering financial benefits were launched during the pre-election period. According to the authors of the report, this can be perceived as an attempt to bribe voters. Also in 2024, municipalities recorded a 16.5% increase in the number of employees and the salary fund, which may indicate political use of administrative resources.
