Saakashvili Hails Polls, Regrets on Opposition’s Weakness

President Saakashvili told senior parliamentarians from the ruling National Movement party on Monday that the October 5 local election was “a demonstration of our strength,” but he also expressed regret over the “shameful” performance of the opposition parties in the polls.

“I am proud of the way the elections were held,” Saakashvili said.
 
He said that these elections were “the best elections ever held in the history of Georgia, and in the history of the CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States].”

He said that election results for the ruling party were “phenomenally successful.”

Saakashvili added that the country’s “opponents wanted to stage a Ukrainian scenario” in Georgia, but the elections showed that they have failed.
 
“I am not happy with these shameful results and the defeat of the opposition… Even a very effective government loses its effectiveness if it lacks a constructive opposition,” Saakashvili said.

“We want you [the opposition parties] to be stronger. Of course we do not want them [the opposition] to come to power, because it will lead to nothing good, but they should be more organized. I call on them to return to Parliament’s chamber and to resume a dialogue; they should be engaged in a constructive dialogue,” Saakashvili said.

The opposition Democratic Front parliamentary faction announced on October 9 that it will stop boycotting parliamentary sessions. The Industrialists parliamentary faction will also most likely cease boycotting, but the New Rights faction plans to continue its boycott. The boycott was announced in March with demands for the dismissal of Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili.

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