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GEORGIA IN THE RUN-UP TO THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
KONSTANTIN GABASHVILI, IVLIAN KHAINDRAVA,
Tbilisi
Konstantin GABASHVILI, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, the Parliament of Georgia
I would like to say that the timing of the presidential campaign in Georgia is strictly within the Georgian Constitution. As for the Russian observers, the assumption is that those might include the Russian youth movements, for example "Nashi" youth organization. If they participate and behave the way they usually do in front of the Georgian Embassy in Russia – burning the President of Georgia in effigy – then they should be admitted. And they will be of much help. For this would be a promotion campaign of Mikheil Saakashvili, the candidate I support.
Overall Georgia will be visited by a great many election observers. 27 countries have sent their delegations. The international organizations are sending their representatives too. Several independent Georgian organizations are admitted to monitor the election. Besides, polling stations will be equipped with special cameras, so it will be possible to observe a large number of them. That is to say, the election ensures full transparency.
No one is more interested in the election being free and open than we are. Such is the general mood of the majority of the parties.
Ivliane KHAINDRAVA, Member of the Republican Party, the opposition “Democratic Front” faction in the Parliament of Georgia
The elections in Georgia are, of course, being held under the conditions of force majeure. And at an extremely short notice, which results in the difficulties the opposition groups are facing today. You perfectly know what the administrative resource is and can suggest what budget resources are being spent on Mr. Saakashvili’s election campaign. Therefore, nothing particularly unusual is happening in Georgia. Everything is developing the way it usually does in the countries of the post-Soviet space.
As for the presidential candidate Badri Patarkatsishvili (he cannot sponsor the candidate he wishes), in my opinion what he can do is sponsor himself. As far as I know, he has already started to work hard on it. He does not have any difficulty in this respect.
What he has difficulty with is arriving in Georgia, as he is not being given by the authorities any guarantees. But from London he seems unlikely to be capable of conducting a full-fledged presidential campaign.
What will happen on 5 January? We’ll see. It is reasonable to expect that there will be a second round election in Georgia. It is difficult to say now how it will all actually go.
As for the recognition of the election, the key actor in this respect are the Georgian people, and they will say whether they recognize the election as legitimate, whether they think the election has reflected people’s will, or whether the polls should be doubted. The opposition I represent will proceed in its actions from these very premises.
International observers can contribute to the election corresponding more or less close to some existing standards. They observe but do not interfere in the process. They have no influence on the election campaign.
The main problems of the opposition are to do with the election campaign, clearly unequal positions of different candidates, their unequal finances and resources.
I can refer to the Final Report of the OSCE Mission to the municipal election in Georgia of 5 October, 2006, which gives an alarming remark that the distinction between the state and the party in power had been erased.
Unfortunately, since then this process has only deepened. Today it is fair to say that all state institutions are working for one candidate. This candidate is Mikheil Saakashvili.
The text is based on the speeches of Konstantin GABASHVILI and Ivliane KHAINDRAVA made during a video-conference Moscow-New-York-Tbilisi entitled “Georgia in the Run-Up to the Presidential Election” organized by the Russian Agency for International Information RIA Novosti.
December 24, 2007
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