TBILISI – Student groups in the Caucasus nation of Georgia united in a manifesto condemning the disputed October 26 parliamentary elections – which gave the Russia-friendly Georgian Dream party the victory – as anti-government groups vowed a "disobedience campaign" in central Tbilisi for the next 24 hours.
The November 17 manifesto stated that the government's “systematic rigging of elections reveals a gross attempt by the Georgian Dream party to seize control of the state."
SEE ALSO: Black Liquid Splashed On Election Chief As Georgia Validates Disputed Poll Results"We are not going to give up the freedom of our country. As citizens of Georgia, we remain committed to democratic values and state interests,” it read. “We do not recognize the elections and the parliament seated according to the results of these elections…and are ready to fight for the freedom of ourselves and our country!”
The manifesto also cited what it said were attacks on the educational system through “discriminatory and selective decisions in the process of granting” entry to educational institutions and “the imposition of censorship on the part of the teaching.”
It was signed by 13 groups, including students from at least 13 Georgian universities.
Georgia's Central Election Commission (CEC) on November 16 validated the results of last month's disputed elections, despite weeks of protests by the opposition and accusations of widespread fraud and Russian interference.
The Moscow-friendly ruling Georgian Dream party won 53.93 percent of the vote against 37.79 percent garnered by an opposition alliance, the CEC announced during an unruly session that was briefly interrupted after opposition representative Davit Kirtadze splashed a black liquid on CEC chief Giorgi Kalandarishvili and called him a "dark spot."
Kirtadze's protest was intended to refer to the ink from voters' pens that was visible through the thin paper on the other side of some ballots. The opposition says this compromised secrecy in the disputed voting on October 26.
SEE ALSO: European Court Registers Complaint Against Georgian 'Foreign Agent' LawGeorgian Dream, in power since 2012, is the only party that recognized the election results, with pro-European President Salome Zurabishvili still refusing to acknowledge the outcome, which she said was heavily influenced by Russia.
Georgia's pro-European opposition has boycotted the new parliament, renouncing its mandates from the October 26 vote, alleging widespread fraud and Russian interference.
On November 15, student-led protests were held, with police cordoning off Tbilisi State University's main building as protesters gathered.
EU and other Western officials have expressed serious doubts about the elections and perceived irregularities.
Georgia has been a candidate for EU membership since last year, but the "foreign influence" law and anti-LGBT measures have stalled that effort.
The United States in July announced that it would pause more than $95 million in assistance to the Georgian government, warning it that it was backsliding on democracy.