Saakashvili: "Level of democracy is a matter of our national security”

“Transparent election is a matter of our prestige,” he pointed out and added that Georgia should not give a reason to the international community to say that Georgia is not a democracy. He suggested that lack of democracy in Georgia would give a pretext to EU to stop pressuring Russia over Georgia. “So level of democracy is a matter of our national security as well,” he added.

Seven parties are contesting for 18 seats in the Adjara Autonomous Republic’s local parliament – the Supreme Council.

Two of them – Christian-Democratic Party; On Our Own are parties which make up the parliamentary minority. Other five parties are: the ruling National Movement Party; the Georgian Troupe; Industrialists; the Georgian Politics and United Communist Party of Georgia.

Most of the opposition parties, including those which were part of the opposition coalition, have decided to boycott the elections. Although the Conservative Party decided to undergo a formal registration, it said it did so to use the televised airtime allocated for the parties during the electoral campaign to call on voters for the boycotting and for pushing its other agendas.

The opposition parties mainly cited the new political realities, which they said, had emerged in the country after the August war behind their decision to boycott the Adjara polls (Labor Party, however, announced about its boycott before the August). Parties which were part of the opposition coalition, as well as the Republican Party, say that there are other priorities now than the local elections in Adjara, including working out a joint opposition tactic to achieve earlier general elections.

The opposition parties say they are holding consultations on the matter, but they have not yet produced a joint view on the tactics. Most of them agree that the anniversary of the break up of protest rally a year ago by the authorities should be marked on November 7 with a protest rally; but it remains unclear yet whether it will be just a symbolic demonstration or the opposition will also use the rally to push for the political demands – including the one on early parliamentary elections."


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