MP Candidate in Kutaisi Pulls Out Citing ‘Pressure’

Teimuraz Shalikiani, a majoritarian MP candidate nominated by the Rightist Alliance-Topadze-Industrialists election bloc in the Kutaisi single-mandate constituency, has withdrawn from the race, blaming intimidation.

In remarks aired by Mze TV on May 5, Shalikiani said he was withdrawing from the race “because of pressure exerted on my campaign activists, as well as pressure exerted on [precinct] commission members.”

Gogi Topadze, the leader and founder of the Industrialist Party, accused the authorities on May 1 of “intimidation” of the bloc’s majoritarian MP candidates in provincial constituencies. He warned that the bloc might pull out from the election if the intimidation continued. Later, however, the bloc said it would only withdraw from running under the party list, proportional system, while its majoritarian MP candidates would continue campaigning.

The Industrialist Party is contesting the May 21 parliamentary elections in a bloc with two other parties – the National-Democratic Party (NDP) and Ertoba (Unity), the party led by MP Jumber Patiashvili. 

Before Shalikiani’s withdrawal, the bloc had 28 majoritarian MP candidates.