The Georgian Central Election Commission reported that representatives of the ruling party received the majority of votes in the local elections. Thus, incumbent Mayor Kakha Kaladze was re-elected for a third term (71.58% of the vote), Nino Latsabidze became Mayor of Rustavi (91.933%), Davit Eremeishvili became Mayor of Kutaisi (85.649%), and Giorgi Tsintsadze became Mayor of Batumi (80.616%). According to the Central Election Commission, Beka Vacharadze, the Georgian Dream mayoral candidate for Poti, received 100% of the vote.
The municipal elections were held amid mass protests. The situation became particularly tense in the evening, when protesters attempted to storm the presidential palace. Local media reported that water cannons and tear gas were used to disperse the protesters.
The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs announced the arrest of rally organizers Paata Burchuladze, Murtaza Zodelava, Irakli Nadiradze, Paata Manjgaladze, and Lasha Beridze. According to Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, they are accused of calling for the violent overthrow of the constitutional order or the state power. The opposition politicians face up to nine years in prison.
The Georgian Prime Minister blamed the unrest in the capital and the attempted overthrow of the government on "foreign intelligence services."
"Those who attempted to raise a hand against the state during a rally organized by foreign intelligence services will receive the strictest response. Georgia is not a country where foreign agents are allowed to overthrow the government," he stated.
Kobakhidze warned that all those involved in the October 4 "violence" in Tbilisi should "expect surprises in the coming days"—they will face severe punishment. According to the Georgian prime minister, the announced overthrow of the government in the country failed, after which some leaders, including Salome Zurabishvili, decided to distance themselves from the process.
As a reminder, Georgia's fifth president, Salome Zurabishvili, described the events at the presidential residence as a staged act orchestrated by the government.
"This parody of a seizure of the presidential palace could only be staged by the regime to discredit the 310 days of peaceful protests by the Georgian people. As the legitimate president, I officially reject this and will continue to stand peacefully with my people until we win new elections," she wrote on the social media platform X.
