Saakashvili Speaks of ‘Convincing Victory’

Judging from the early exit poll results, President Saakashvili said that his National Movement party won a landslide victory in the October 5 local self-governance elections.

“Just recently the results of the exit polls were announced. These [exit polls] were commissioned by several independent television stations… Judging from our previous experience, as usually these [referring to exit polls] give the most accurate description, but of course not the final, of the election results… So now I am happy to announce that the National Movement won a very convincing victory in the local self-governance election throughout Georgia,” Saakashvili said shortly after the polling stations were closed.

He said that these elections were “record-breaking” in terms of voter turnout. The CEC has not yet unveiled the final data on voter turnout.

“According to the information we have, our party could have garnered more votes than [the National Movement] got during the [parliamentary] elections that brought this party into power in 2004,” he said.

He said “according to our preliminary information, a minimum of 70% of voters supported our party throughout Georgia.”

“This [election result] is a response to the skeptics… This is a response to the world to show everyone that we have conducted democratic elections and to show that we are even more supported by the people. Only in Tbilisi, according to the exit polls, we garnered more votes than we received during the 2004 parliamentary elections,” Saakashvili said.

He also said that the ruling party carried out “a clean election campaign” although “the dirt was thrown by our opponents towards us and our families.”

“The party that played a fair game has succeeded,” Saakashvili added.

“Now I have the honor to salute, according to the preliminary [election] results we currently have, the first-ever elected Tbilisi mayor, Gigi Ugulava,” he said.

The Tbilisi local council – Sakrebulo – should elect the capital city Mayor from its members by a two-thirds majority.

Saakashvili also said that these were “not just ordinary elections.”

“The entire world has been watching us to see how our society would pass the test. We have passed this test perfectly. In recent days the world has expressed enormous solidarity towards Georgia and we have seen that we are not alone,” he said.

“Everyone should understand that real work starts today, because we have promised our voters that the reconstruction process will continue and we should not let them down,” Saakashvili said, addressing Gigi Ugulava.

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