Tbilisi Mayor Retains Post After Georgian Municipal Elections - Central Commission

TBILISI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 31st October, 2021) Candidates for mayors of large Georgian cities, including the capital of Tbilisi, from the ruling Georgian Dream party won in the second round of municipal elections, and Kakha Kaladze retained his post of Tbilisi mayor, the Central Election Commission said on Sunday.

"Kakha Kaladze (gained) 55.603%, Nikanor Melia 44.397%. The votes from 769 polling stations out of 769 have been calculated," the statement read.

The candidates from Georgian Dream won in 19 regions out of 20 including large cities of Rustavi, Batumi, Zugdidi, and Poti, according to the Central Election Commission.

The opposition movement in Georgia has already spoken out that it would not recognize the election results if nominees from the ruling party gained the majority of votes.

"Let nobody be under illusion that we recognize the legitimacy of the elections... In the near future, we will achieve that the (state) leadership will change and the country will embark on the course of development," the Girchi-More Freedom party leader, Zurab Japaridze, said.

An opposition candidate won only in the town of Tsalenjikha in the Samegrelo Region.