‘About GEL 150,000 on Campaign’ – Candidate Gamkrelidze
Presidential candidate Davit Gamkrelidze said his New Rights Party had raised only “maybe slightly over GEL 150,000” for his election campaign.
“Not a single business dared finance Saakashvili’s competitors even with a symbolic, small sum, out of fear,” Gamkrelidze said on the Georgian Public Broadcaster’s late-night political talk show, Argument. He also said that funds were mainly raised through contributions by party members, including himself.
Candidates must submit to the Central Election Commission a detailed record of funds and contributors within a month of final official election results being announced.
Gamkrelidze also reiterated his earlier contention that a second round of polls would be inevitable. “It would be absolutely impossible to believe” that Saakashvili had gained more than 50% of the vote in the first round, he said.
He also maintained that he would be in the second round. If he were not, he said, reiterated an earlier pledge, he would support any opposition candidate in a run-off against Saakashvili. “However, unfortunately I have not heard a similar statement from other opposition candidates,” he added.
