00:16Mandatory credit: Georgian Prime Minister's Press Service
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was seen having dinner with his Georgian counterpart Irakli Kobakhidze upon arrival in Tbilisi, Monday, after the ruling Georgian Dream party won parliamentary elections on October 26.
Footage shows Orban shaking hands with representatives of the welcoming delegation. The video also features the politicians chatting in a restaurant.
"Georgia is a conservative, Christian and pro-Europe state. Instead of useless lecturing, they need our support on their European path," said the Hungarian PM in his account on social network X [formely Twitter].
In his turn, Irakli Kobakhidze said on his Facebook account that the politicians would make a joint press statement on Tuesday after face-to-face and extended meetings with Orban in the Georgian government.
On October 27, the Central Election Commission of the country released the results of the parliamentary elections held the previous day. The ruling party, Georgian Dream, won 53.93 percent, surpassing the opposition bloc.
Approximately two million people cast their votes in the election, which represents a turnout of 59 percent of eligible voters. There were a total of 3,044 voting stations open across the country, as well as an additional 67 abroad.
On the same day, Zurabishvili said that she did not 'recognise' the victory of the ruling Georgian Dream party and urged the population to participate in protests.
"Recognising these elections actually means recognising the fact that Russia has come here, that we are subordinate to Russia. That is not the reason I came to this country. <…> I would like to appeal to everyone and urge them to gather tomorrow evening at seven o'clock on Rustaveli avenue to tell together the whole world that we do not recognise these elections, that we defend our constitutional right to peacefully defend our votes," she said.
In turn, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova described Zurabishvili’s suggestions of 'interference' as 'nonsense'.
Representatives of the United National Movement and the Coalition for Change opposition parties have also refused to accept the results. Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, on his X [formerly Twitter] account, claimed that the election was 'completely rigged and stolen'.
For his part, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze called the opposition bloc's unwillingness to 'accept the results' of the parliamentary elections a 'hopeless attempt' to save face.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban congratulated Kobakhidze on his 'overwhelming victory', while Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also sent a congratulatory letter to the prime minister, calling the Georgian Dream party a 'leading political force'.
Addressing the election, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken drew attention to reports of violations of international norms in the past elections and called on foreign and domestic observers to 'conduct a full investigation' into non-compliance with regulations.
Orban meets PM Kobakhidze after Georgian Dream party wins election
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was seen having dinner with his Georgian counterpart Irakli Kobakhidze upon arrival in Tbilisi, Monday, after the ruling Georgian Dream party won parliamentary elections on October 26.
Footage shows Orban shaking hands with representatives of the welcoming delegation. The video also features the politicians chatting in a restaurant.
"Georgia is a conservative, Christian and pro-Europe state. Instead of useless lecturing, they need our support on their European path," said the Hungarian PM in his account on social network X [formely Twitter].
In his turn, Irakli Kobakhidze said on his Facebook account that the politicians would make a joint press statement on Tuesday after face-to-face and extended meetings with Orban in the Georgian government.
On October 27, the Central Election Commission of the country released the results of the parliamentary elections held the previous day. The ruling party, Georgian Dream, won 53.93 percent, surpassing the opposition bloc.
Approximately two million people cast their votes in the election, which represents a turnout of 59 percent of eligible voters. There were a total of 3,044 voting stations open across the country, as well as an additional 67 abroad.
On the same day, Zurabishvili said that she did not 'recognise' the victory of the ruling Georgian Dream party and urged the population to participate in protests.
"Recognising these elections actually means recognising the fact that Russia has come here, that we are subordinate to Russia. That is not the reason I came to this country. <…> I would like to appeal to everyone and urge them to gather tomorrow evening at seven o'clock on Rustaveli avenue to tell together the whole world that we do not recognise these elections, that we defend our constitutional right to peacefully defend our votes," she said.
In turn, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova described Zurabishvili’s suggestions of 'interference' as 'nonsense'.
Representatives of the United National Movement and the Coalition for Change opposition parties have also refused to accept the results. Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, on his X [formerly Twitter] account, claimed that the election was 'completely rigged and stolen'.
For his part, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze called the opposition bloc's unwillingness to 'accept the results' of the parliamentary elections a 'hopeless attempt' to save face.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban congratulated Kobakhidze on his 'overwhelming victory', while Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also sent a congratulatory letter to the prime minister, calling the Georgian Dream party a 'leading political force'.
Addressing the election, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken drew attention to reports of violations of international norms in the past elections and called on foreign and domestic observers to 'conduct a full investigation' into non-compliance with regulations.
Mandatory credit: Georgian Prime Minister's Press Service
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was seen having dinner with his Georgian counterpart Irakli Kobakhidze upon arrival in Tbilisi, Monday, after the ruling Georgian Dream party won parliamentary elections on October 26.
Footage shows Orban shaking hands with representatives of the welcoming delegation. The video also features the politicians chatting in a restaurant.
"Georgia is a conservative, Christian and pro-Europe state. Instead of useless lecturing, they need our support on their European path," said the Hungarian PM in his account on social network X [formely Twitter].
In his turn, Irakli Kobakhidze said on his Facebook account that the politicians would make a joint press statement on Tuesday after face-to-face and extended meetings with Orban in the Georgian government.
On October 27, the Central Election Commission of the country released the results of the parliamentary elections held the previous day. The ruling party, Georgian Dream, won 53.93 percent, surpassing the opposition bloc.
Approximately two million people cast their votes in the election, which represents a turnout of 59 percent of eligible voters. There were a total of 3,044 voting stations open across the country, as well as an additional 67 abroad.
On the same day, Zurabishvili said that she did not 'recognise' the victory of the ruling Georgian Dream party and urged the population to participate in protests.
"Recognising these elections actually means recognising the fact that Russia has come here, that we are subordinate to Russia. That is not the reason I came to this country. <…> I would like to appeal to everyone and urge them to gather tomorrow evening at seven o'clock on Rustaveli avenue to tell together the whole world that we do not recognise these elections, that we defend our constitutional right to peacefully defend our votes," she said.
In turn, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova described Zurabishvili’s suggestions of 'interference' as 'nonsense'.
Representatives of the United National Movement and the Coalition for Change opposition parties have also refused to accept the results. Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, on his X [formerly Twitter] account, claimed that the election was 'completely rigged and stolen'.
For his part, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze called the opposition bloc's unwillingness to 'accept the results' of the parliamentary elections a 'hopeless attempt' to save face.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban congratulated Kobakhidze on his 'overwhelming victory', while Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also sent a congratulatory letter to the prime minister, calling the Georgian Dream party a 'leading political force'.
Addressing the election, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken drew attention to reports of violations of international norms in the past elections and called on foreign and domestic observers to 'conduct a full investigation' into non-compliance with regulations.