TBILISI, Georgia (AP) 鈥� Tens of thousands of Georgians massed outside parliament Monday night, demanding the annulment that the president has alleged was rigged with the help of Russia.
The rally deepened the political crisis in the country which lies between Russia and Turkey and where the governing Georgian Dream party has become increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow.
鈥淵ou did not lose the election,鈥� President Salome Zourabichvili told the demonstrators who waved Georgian and European Union flags. 鈥淭hey stole your vote and tried to steal your future, but no one has the right to do that and you will not let anyone do that!鈥�
Zourabichvili, a mostly ceremonial president, told the crowd that she would defend the country鈥檚 path toward Europe against actions by Georgian Dream.
鈥淲e have no alternative and nothing else we want to leave this country for the next generations,鈥� she said.
Giorgi Vashadze, leader of United National Movement coalition, said the opposition won't take part in any talks with the government and push for a new vote under international supervision.
鈥淲e are not going to enter this parliament. We refuse all mandates,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e are not going to enter into any negotiations. We are going to fight until victory and we promise you, we will definitely win together.鈥�
Zourabichvili told the crowd 鈥渁 complete picture must be drawn of how this massive, systematic theft of votes took place,鈥� adding it was an 鈥渦nprecedented, pre-planned operation that robbed us of our votes, our parliament, and our constitution.鈥� She did not provide specific details or present evidence of Russia's involvement in vote theft.
Protester Natia Chachava, wrapped in the Georgian flag, said the demonstrators 鈥渄on鈥檛 want Russia, we don鈥檛 want to go back to Russia or back to the Soviet Union.鈥�
Student Lana Togonidze, 20, said she hoped the West 鈥渨ill see that the Georgian people are not standing by this government, we hope they will not recognize these elections as legitimate, and they will not validate this government."
鈥淯nfortunately, I do not have big hope," Andro Dadiani said, speaking about whether the protests could effect change but added that he felt he had to carry out his civic duties and attend.
Zourabichvili, who has rejected the official results, earlier told The Associated Press that Georgia has fallen victim to Russian pressure against joining the EU.
鈥淲e鈥檝e seen that Russian propaganda was directly used,鈥� said Zourabichvili, a fierce critic of Georgian Dream. She said the government has been 鈥渨orking hand-in-hand with Russia,鈥� and 鈥減robably鈥� received help from Moscow's security services.
The U.S. and the European Union urged full investigations of the result of Saturday's election.
鈥淕eorgians, like all Europeans, must be masters of their own destiny,鈥� said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The Central Election Commission said Georgian Dream received 54.8% of the vote with almost all ballots counted. The party 鈥� established by who made his fortune in Russia 鈥� has adopted laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on and .
Protest is the only way Georgians can 鈥渆xpress that their votes have been stolen, that their future has been stolen,鈥� Zourabichvili told the AP.
She said she hopes the U.S. and EU back the demonstrations.
鈥淲e need to have the firm support of our European partners, of our American partners,鈥� Zourabichvili said, adding that it was in the interests of 鈥渁 powerful Europe鈥� to be present in the Caucasus and for the region to be stable.
Asked if she wants sanctions imposed on Georgian officials, Zourabichvili told AP that it's up to Western leaders but that 鈥渃ertainly time has not come to renew relations with authorities that are not legitimate at this point.鈥�
U.S. officials called on Georgia to repeal authoritarian legislation, address electoral deficiencies and move Georgia towards Europe.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the Georgian elections were 鈥渟haped by the ruling party鈥檚 policies, including misuse of public resources, vote buying and voter intimidation.鈥�
He said the U.S. has consistently urged the Georgian government to 鈥渨alk back鈥� its anti-democratic actions and said 鈥渨e do not rule out further consequences.鈥�
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for a full investigation of all reports of election-related violations, as did EU Commission spokeswoman Nabila Massrali, who said Georgian Dream鈥檚 campaign was 鈥渄irectly inspired鈥� by Russian propaganda and there were 鈥渦nprecedented levels of disinformation.鈥�
The Kremlin has rejected the accusations of interference.
鈥淲e aren鈥檛 meddling in Georgia鈥檚 internal affairs, and we have no intention of meddling,鈥� Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. He countered that it was the West that had tried to influence the vote.
Asked about Zourabichvili鈥檚 call for Georgians to join protests, he described it as an attempt to destabilize the country.
Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili, a member of Georgian Dream, accused the president of creating 鈥渁 coup scenario鈥� that goes 鈥渁gainst the constitutional order and democratic elections.鈥�
The EU suspended Georgia鈥檚 membership application process indefinitely because of a Russian-style passed in June. Many Georgians viewed Saturday鈥檚 vote as a pivotal referendum on the opportunity to join the EU.
The election campaign in the nation of 3.7 million people, which borders Russia, was marked by a bitter fight for votes and allegations of a smear campaign. European observers said the election took place in a 鈥渄ivisive鈥� environment marked by intimidation and instances of vote-buying, double voting and physical violence.
During the campaign, Georgian Dream used 鈥渁nti-Western and hostile rhetoric ... promoted Russian misinformation, manipulations, and conspiracy theories,鈥� said Antonio L贸pez-Ist煤riz White, head of the European Parliament monitoring delegation.
Election observers said instances of intimidation and other violations were particularly noticeable in rural areas.
Georgian Dream scored its highest share of the vote 鈥� almost 90% 鈥� in the Javakheti region of southern Georgia. In the capital it received no more than 44% in any district.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, a member of Georgian Dream, described his party鈥檚 success as 鈥渋mpressive and obvious,鈥� and that 鈥渁ny attempts to talk about election manipulation ... are doomed to failure.鈥�
Initial figures suggested turnout was among the highest since Georgian Dream first won control of parliament in 2012. The party has vowed to continue pushing toward EU accession but also wants to 鈥渞eset鈥� ties with Georgia鈥檚 former imperial master, Russia. In 2008, Georgia fought and lost a brief war with Moscow, which then recognized the independence of two breakaway Georgian regions and bolstered its military presence there.
European Council President Charles Michel urged Georgian officials to 鈥渟wiftly, transparently and independently investigate鈥� the electoral irregularities and said Georgian Dream should demonstrate its 鈥渇irm commitment鈥� to the EU.
Hungary鈥檚 Victor Orb谩n, who was the first foreign leader to congratulate Georgian Dream, arrived Monday on a two-day visit to Georgia.
Zourabichvili said he was a 鈥渟pecial friend鈥� of Georgian Dream and dismissed his visit as a 鈥減olitical play.鈥�
Orban does not have 鈥渁ny mandate from the EU Council鈥� to visit Georgia, Massrali said on behalf of the EU.
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Associated Press journalists Sophiko Megrelidze in Tbilisi and Raf Casert in Brussels contributed.
Emma Burrows, The Associated Press
