GD, UNM Candidates Run for Head of Gardabani Municipality
Only the Georgian Dream (GD) ruling coalition and United National Movement (UNM) opposition party have nominated candidates for the January 28 election of head (gamgebeli) of Gardabani municipality in the Kvemo Kartli region.
Election in Gardabani was called after the office of gamgebeli became vacant following the death of the incumbent, Gela Nioradze, in late November; Nioradze, who ran on ruling GD coalition’s ticket, won the post in 2014 local elections with over 56% of votes.
GD named Gocha Jamarauli, a native of Gardabani and a former footballer who played for the national team in 1994–2004, as its candidate.
UNM named Besik Kakhabrishvili as its candidate. He was running for the same office in the 2014 local elections, but lost the race to GD’s candidate, garnering 27.8% of votes.
A new gamgebeli of Gardabani, who will be elected in the January 28 election, will serve before the next local elections, scheduled for autumn 2017.