Independent MP Candidates Blame Each Other in Faking the Elections

The Resonance; The Dilis Gazeti

Independent MP elections in Vake district went on quite tensely yesterday. Ex-Minister of Justice Mikheil Saakashvili and head of the National-Democratic Party Irina Sarishvili-Chanturia were the main candidatures. “According to results at 1.00 a.m., Mikheil Saakashvili had received the majority of votes… As to the NDP, they are not going to surrender and regard the elections legal”, the Resonance says.

Irina Sarishvili-Chanturia states that Tbilisi Mayor Vano Zodelava faked elections in Vake district in the advantage of Saakashvili. “She said Zodelava made a deal with Saakashvili because the ex-Minister had stated he would run for Tbilisi Mayor in case of losing in Vake elections. But it’s hard to say whether being an MP will hinder Saakashvili from running for Mayor position in case of elections… By the way it is not excluded that Sarishvili may also make an attempt of becoming the city mayor”, the Resonance says. It seems the paper regards Sarishvili’s argument imperfect. It is obvious that author of the article supports Mikheil Saakashvili.

The Dilis Gazeti, on the other hand, has negative attitude towards Mikheil Saakashvili and talks ironically about him. Saakashvili became famous through populism, it says. “According to the latest information, unfortunately for Sarishvili-Chanturia, the majority of electorate voted for her actual competitor Saakashvili”, the paper says.

The press talks about the election process, which went on with incidents. “MP Kote Kemularia (supporter of Mikheil Saakashvili) was beaten up by other candidates’ supporters”, the Resonance says.

Serious incidents occurred in other regions of Vake district. “Tension in the election units reached peak by 7.00 p.m.”. Two ballot boxes were stolen. According to the general secretary of the NDP, the CUG (that is Mikheil Saakashvili) activists provoked the incident, the Dilis Gazeti reports. The Resonance, on the other hand, has published opinion of Saakashvili’s devotees. They blame Sarishvili in stealing the boxes. Irina Sarishvili-Chanturia says fact of stealing the boxes was a provocation and her supporters had nothing to do with it.