Shortly after exit poll results were announced, UNM presidential candidate Davit Bakradze congratulated GD’s candidate Giorgi Margvelashvili on “winning presidential election.”

In a televised statement less than half an hour after exit polls predicted Margvelashvili’s outright victory in Sunday’s presidential vote without requiring second round run-off, Bakradze said: “As an opposition leader I am ready to cooperate with government… and to work with new president on all those issues which are essential for better life of our people.” 

He said that while official results have yet to come, exit polls show that “despite year-long campaign against” UNM, every fourth voter cast ballot for party and its candidate.

“And it happened against the background when party’s secretary general [Vano Merabishvili] remains in [pre-trial] detention… when criminal proceedings are underway against many of our party leaders,” he said.

“We have proven that we remain the major opposition force in the country,” Bakradze said.

“We have proven that even in such a difficult conditions opposition is capable of carrying out a campaign guided by sense of responsibility, the campaign free from hysteria, violence and calls for overthrowing government," he said.

“I congratulate the Georgian people on holding peaceful elections. After CEC confirms election results, I will be ready to acknowledge those results. I congratulate Mr. Margvelashvili on the victory. I thank each and every person who turned out at polling stations… and I thank our supporters,” Bakradze said.