Georgian Public Defender questions credibility of claims over “carousel voting”, ID card confiscations in elections
Levan Ioseliani
Photo: Public Defender (Ombudsman) of Georgia
Georgian Public Defender Levan Ioseliani on Friday said it was “hard” to believe for any “sane person” that 350,000 people had been engaged in the “carousel voting”, in reference to the domestic opposition's allegations about the voter fraud in the parliamentary elections held last Saturday.
In his remarks over the matter, Ioseliani also addressed one of the allegations of the opposition over the use of ID cards in the elections by saying that “I can't believe that over 100,000 people have had their IDs taken away without a single one showing up [to confirm it]”.
“It is hard to believe for a sane person that, for example, that 350,000 people were engaged in the carousel voting. To transport 350,000 people to different areas, it would take about 30,000 minibuses or over 10,000 buses. All this happened in such a way that no one in this country could see anything, I can't believe it”, the Public Defender claimed.
“As the Public Defender, I am not aligned with any political party. I do not stand with them, nor do I often repeat absurd claims that are hard to believe for a sane person. [...] For two months now, we’ve been asking - if anyone has had their ID cards taken away, please, file a report. Yet, no one has stepped up to say “I am the one who was forced to hand over my ID card”, Ioseliani continued.
The Public Defender further added that there had been procedural violations in the elections.
“There are certain things that are objective facts. For instance, yes, there were instances of ink leakage, but this needs to be assessed in a broader context. Did it affect your ability to express your will? When you went to vote, was your right to express your will ensured, or was there any undue influence? My task as the Public Defender is to see whether people were able to vote freely and without obstacles. Procedural violations, of course, occurred”, he noted.
Ioseliani stressed that it was not within the Public Defender’s authority to comment on the legitimacy of the elections.
He added that the opposition's role was to make claims, but each claim must be supported by evidence.
“Around 47,000 observers were present - if all were bribed, if no one reported anything, if only seven complaints were filed regarding ballot leaks, and if anyone believes all of this happened. Violations certainly occurred. Not only were there violations, but there were also instances of criminal activity. For all these issues, for every possible instance of wrongdoing, we have a response. We have answers for anyone interested in what we were doing during this period. If anyone expects the Public Defender to comment on the legitimacy of the elections, despite having no involvement in the process, and if anyone convinces others that the Public Defender should do this, that is simply a lie”, Ioseliani concluded.
All News
03 June 2026, 22:10
Politics
Canadian Parliament official reaffirms Canada’s support for Georgia’s sovereignty, Euro-Atlantic integration
Ahmed Hussen, the Chair of the Canadian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and International Development Committee, on Wednesday reaffirmed Canada’s strong support for Georgia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and its European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations during an Independence Day event.
03 June 2026, 21:54
Politics
Georgian Parliament official: Georgia seeks EU membership as reunified state including Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday said that Georgia’s goal of joining the European Union remains firm, but only as a fully reunified state that includes Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region.
03 June 2026, 21:35
Economy
Georgian PM: Swissôtel Kobuleti Beach Resort project confirms Georgia’s stable and attractive investment climate, growing tourism economy
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday said that the launch of the Swissôtel Kobuleti Beach Resort construction demonstrates Georgia’s stable and attractive investment environment and strengthens its position as a secure economic hub on the international investment map.
03 June 2026, 20:10
Politics
Georgian PM criticises Moldova leadership over sovereignty remarks, contrasts it with Georgia’s state policy
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday criticised comments made by Moldova’s senior officials regarding sovereignty, arguing that Georgia follows the opposite approach focused on strengthening national independence and state interests.
03 June 2026, 19:18
Politics
Georgian PM: new US administration’s approach offers opportunity to restore strategic partnership
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday expressed optimism about the future of Georgian-American relations, stating that the approach of the new United States administration differs significantly from that of its predecessor and creates an opportunity to rebuild strategic ties.
03 June 2026, 18:44
Politics
Georgian PM: Georgian-US relations can only be repaired on the basis of fair approach
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday said that relations between Georgia and the United States could only be restored through what he described as a fair approach that respects Georgia’s national interests, election results, and the will of the Georgian people.
03 June 2026, 15:23
Justice
Georgia ranks 33rd worldwide for Judicial System Quality, 15th in Europe
Georgia’s judicial system has received a strong international assessment in the Judicial System Quality Index published by the Chandler Institute as part of its Good Government Report 2026, ranking 33rd globally and 15th among Europe’s top 20 judicial systems.
03 June 2026, 14:28
Politics
Georgian Parliament Speaker: opposition ignored Georgian voters and faced consequences
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said that opposition parties will have to participate in the October 2028 elections and respect the mandates they receive, arguing that their decision-making is driven not by the Georgian Constitution but by external instructions.
03 June 2026, 14:19
Politics
Georgian Parliament Speaker: ruling Georgian Dream party will not back down in ongoing BBC complaint process
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said that the ruling Georgian Dream party has submitted a third official complaint to BBC, following earlier complaints that were not accepted by the broadcaster.
03 June 2026, 14:04
Politics
Georgian Parliament Speaker on October 4 coup attempt case: Brussels, its ambassadors should say whether they condemn this violence or dismiss it as another street scuffle
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said it was important that several defendants in the October 4 coup attempt case had admitted their guilt, accusing them of previously seeking to downplay their actions.
03 June 2026, 13:21
Politics
Georgian Parliament Speaker: domestic opposition agenda changes based on foreign signals
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday criticised the domestic radical opposition, claiming that its political decisions have been driven by foreign influence rather than the will of Georgian voters.
03 June 2026, 13:09
Politics
Georgian Parliament Speaker: US Department of State delegation statement confirms shared values and interests between Georgia and United States
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said the US State Department delegations emphasized two issues in its statement, confirmation of the common values and sharing common interests.
03 June 2026, 12:53
Politics
Georgian Parliament Speaker says US administration’s focus on sovereignty highlights value Europe has forgotten in relations with Georgia
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said that parts of the Georgian opposition continue to receive support for what he described as radical activities from certain European Union member states and Brussels.
03 June 2026, 12:33
Foreign policy
Georgian Parliament official slams German Ambassador’s remarks as “divisive”
Levan Makhashvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on European Integration, on Tuesday said comments made by Peter Fischer, German Ambassador to the country, ultimately served to divide society and incite ethnic tensions.
03 June 2026, 12:32
Politics
Georgian Parliament official says German Ambassador’s xenophobic remarks cannot withstand criticism
Davit Matikashvili, the Chair of the Committee on Procedural Issues and Rules of the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday criticised the recent statement made by the German Ambassador Peter Fischer, saying his activities in the country had crossed all limits.
03 June 2026, 11:19
Economy
EBRD upgrades Georgia’s 2026 economic growth forecast to 6%, raising projection by 0.5 percentage points
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has raised its forecast for Georgia’s economic growth in 2026 by 0.5 percentage points, projecting real GDP growth of 6.0%, according to the bank’s latest Regional Economic Prospects report.
02 June 2026, 22:02
Justice
Seven defendants admit guilt in October 4 coup attempt case, plea agreements expected
Alexander Khabeishvili, Beka Kelekhashvili, Giorgi Mumladze, Mamuka Labuchidze, Guriel Kardava, Avtandil Surmanidze, and Temur Kurtsikidze on Tuesday admitted guilt in connection with the violent events of October 4, the Georgian Prosecutor’s Office said.
02 June 2026, 21:32
Politics
US Embassy welcomes arrests in Georgia over illegal US entry fraud scheme
The United States Embassy in Georgia on Tuesday welcomed the Georgian Prosecutor’s Office announcement about the arrest of several individuals on charges of defrauding Georgian citizens related to illegal entry to the United States and document forgery.
02 June 2026, 19:16
Politics
Georgian Parliament official: Georgia lacks opposition that challenges Gov’t, not state
Davit Matikashvili, the Chair of the Committee on Procedural Issues and Rules of the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday said that Georgia effectively does not have a functioning opposition that acts against the Government rather than against the interests of the country, describing the situation as a “major problem” for the democratic system.
02 June 2026, 19:14
Politics
Georgian PM says German Ambassador’s remarks do not deserve serious consideration
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday criticised comments made by German Ambassador Peter Fischer, stating that the diplomat’s statements regarding Georgia and its partner countries were “unserious” and do not deserve serious consideration.