A district court in the country of Georgia nullified the election results in 30 precincts over voting secrecy violations, RFE/RL's Georgian service reported on Nov. 4 amid widespread allegations of a rigged vote.
The news comes as Georgia's pro-EU opposition refuses to recognize the claimed victory of the ruling Russian-friendly Georgian Dream party, which sparked large-scale protests in Tbilisi.
The Tetri Tskaro district court ruled that the voting method used in dozens of stations in the southern towns of Tetri Tskaro and Tsalka violated the secrecy of the vote.
The voters had to mark the ballots with a marker in such a way that during a subsequent ballot counting by a machine, their choice was visible. The presiding judge also pointed out that the district election commission did not address the complaint appropriately, indicating some level of manipulation or interference.
While this represents only a small number of polling stations across the country, the authors of the complaint – Georgian Young Lawyers' Association – said the ruling sets a precedent for better protection of voting secrecy rights.
"We welcome this decision, emphasizing its importance for a fair and democratic electoral process," the group said.
The Central Election Commission can appeal the ruling.
While official results said that Georgian Dream won almost 54% of the vote, opposition leaders and international observers pointed to a large number of cases of suspected intimidation, ballot stuffing, and vote buying.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said on Oct. 27 that the Georgian parliament will approve the government despite the opposition's protests, while the opposition called on international leaders not to recognize the results.
Georgian Dream has been accused of democratic backsliding and of leading the South Caucasus country back into the Kremlin's orbit. The adoption of the controversial "foreign agents" law earlier this year also led to widespread protests and subsequent violent crackdowns by the police.
Shortly after the election results were announced, the European Commission said that the process of Georgia's accession to the European Union had been suspended, underscoring the growing chasm between Tbilisi and the West.
Salome Samadashvili
