Saakashvili Launches Ruling Party’s Election Campaign

Speaking at the opening of a new part in the Gldani district, a suburb of Tbilisi, President Saakashvili announced the launch of his National Movement party’s election campaign and called on Georgian citizens to vote for the ruling party in the October 5 local self-governance elections.

“Today we launch our election campaign. If so far the Georgia central authorities, appointed by you, were responsible for governing Tbilisi and other towns, starting from October 5 each resident of our villages and towns should be responsible for governing their own communities. This is the launch of the new era,” Saakashvili said.

“Those who vote for number five [the number of the National Movement on the ballot] in the elections vote for progress, reconstruction and Georgia’s reunification,” Saakashvili said.

He said that despite the opposition parties’ threats to boycott local elections because of the existing election code, “there is a long queue of political parties outside the Central Election Commission willing to run in the local elections.”

Six political groups, including ruling party, will run in the October 5 elections. The New Rights, Freedom, National-Democratic Party and Greens announced a boycott.

“What has already been done so far in Georgia is only 10-15% of what must be done. Do you want the remaining 90% to be done? Then do not stay at home on October 5. Do you want to defeat cynicism and demagogy? Do not stay at home on October 5. Do you want entire Georgia to be like this place [newly built park]? Do not stay at home on October 5. Do you want progress to continue? Do you want better education? Do you want higher pensions? Do not stay at home on October 5,” Saakashvili said.

He said that Georgia’s “ill-wishers want Georgia to fail in these elections.”

“They want Georgia to fall down… They will fail. But to make this happen we should tell the entire world that we were able to hold democratic, free and transparent elections,” Saakashvili added.

“I pin my hopes on your wisdom… I pin my hopes on the fact that the Georgian people know how to distinguish white from black,” Saakashvili said.

“I want to tell every resident of Georgia: you know that Tbilisi has never been as beautiful as it is now and it is only the beginning… But Tbilisi is not only its downtown… and you know that Georgia is not only Tbilisi. Georgia is Kutaisi, Batumi; Georgia is upper Abkhazia [Kodori Gorge] and lower Abkhazia; Georgia is Tskhinvali and Java [in breakaway South Ossetia],” Saakashvili said.

“I know the October 5 election results in advance. The Georgian people will celebrate victory in the first-ever democratic local self-governance elections. The idea of Georgia’s unification will win,” he added.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)