By Felix Light
TBILISI (Reuters) - Several thousand Georgian demonstrators took to the streets on Monday to protest against what they say was fraud in last month's parliamentary election, in which the ruling Georgian Dream party, seen as increasingly pro-Russian, claimed victory.
Chanting "Victory to Georgia" and playing patriotic songs from a speaker system, the protesters made their way from Tbilisi's main railway station down the central Rustaveli Avenue to parliament.
"I am here because Georgian Dream stole our elections," said protester Tiko Lagvilava.
"The only thing I know is that the street and demonstrations are the only way right now to show my voice."
Leaders of three of the four opposition parties that won seats last month addressed the crowd, calling for daily protests beginning on Tuesday to prevent the new session of parliament from opening later in November.
But turnout was relatively modest compared with the huge crowds seen earlier this year when Georgian Dream pushed through a "foreign agent" law that critics said was Russian-inspired and repressive.
Among those attending Monday's rally was Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who came with activists from the Tbilisi Pride LGBT rights group.
"I want to show that I am one of many tens of thousands of people who are standing up in the fight for democracy and freedom for the Georgian people," Thunberg told Reuters.
Official results from the Oct. 26 election gave a 54% majority to Georgian Dream, whose opponents say it wants to steer the Caucasus nation away from Europe and back into Russia's orbit.
Georgian Dream, which is seen as loyal to billionaire founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, says it wants to protect the country from subversive foreign influence and from being dragged into war with Russia like Ukraine.
It says it remains committed to seeking a future in the European Union, but the EU says it has frozen Georgia's membership application because of concerns about democratic backsliding.
MANIPULATION?
Two U.S. polling firms have said the official election results suggest manipulation because they diverged so sharply in favour of Georgian Dream from exit polls the companies conducted for pro-opposition television channels.
International observers reported instances of bribery and intimidation of voters but stopped short of saying the election was stolen. Georgian Dream says the election was free and fair, a position echoed by the country's electoral commission.
Like Moldova, which held a presidential election on Sunday, Georgia has been subject to competing Western and Russian influence since gaining independence when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.
Re-elected Moldovan President Maia Sandu, who has accelerated her country's push to join the EU, wrote on X: "Yesterday, Moldovans took a crucial step forward on our European path. But the fight for democracy in Moldova — and across our region — continues.
"To the people of Georgia: I admire your resilience and determination to build a free, European future. Stand strong —Moldova is with you."