On July 20, the ruling Georgian Dream party unveiled the list of majoritarian candidates – including 29 men and one woman – for newly redrawn 30 single-mandate districts for upcoming parliamentary polls due in October.
In Tbilisi’s majoritarian districts:
- Beka Odisharia for Mtatsminda and Krtsanisi district;
- Nodar Turdzeladze for Vake;
- Davit Sergeenko for Saburtalo;
- Kakhi Kakhishvili for Isani;
- Sozar Subari for Samgori;
- Giorgi (Gia) Volski for Didube and Chughureti;
- Levan Kobiashvili for Gldani;
- Mikheil Kavelashvili for Nadzaladevi.
Outside the capital:
- Irakli Kadagishvili for Telavi, Akhmeta, Kvareli and Lagodekhi municipalities;
- Davit Songhulashvili for Gurjaani, Sagarejo, Dedoplitskaro and Signagi municipalities;
- Nino Latsabidze for Rustavi municipality and Norio, Martkopi, Akhalsopeli, Sartichala, Gamarjveba, Akhali Samgori, Lemshveniera, Teleti, Kumisi and Krtsanisi administrative units in Gardabani municipality;
- Zaur Dargali for Marneuli and Gardabani (excluding aforementioned adm. units) municipalities;
- Gogi Meshveliani for Bolnisi, Dmanisi, Tetritskaro and Tsalka municipalities;
- Shalva Kereselidze for Mtskheta, Dusheti, Tianeti and Kazbegi municipalities;
- Giorgi Khojevanishvili for Kaspi and Gori (excluding Variani, Nikozi, Tirdznisi, Skra and Shindisi adm. units) municipalities;
- Zaza Dugladze for Khashuri and Kareli municipalities and Variani, Nikozi, Tirdznisi, Skra and Shindisi adm. units of Gori excluding municipality;
- Anton Abolashvili for Akhaltsikhe, Borjomi, Adigeni and Aspindza municipalities;
- Samvel Manukyan for Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda municipalities;
- Zaza Lominadze for Kutaisi municipality;
- Paata Kvizhinadze for Sachkhere, Chiatura and Kharagauli municipalities;
- Bezhan Tsakadze for Tkibuli, Terjola, Zestaponi and Bagdati municipalities;
- Givi Chichinadze for Samtredia, Tskaltubo, Vani and Khoni municipalities;
- Irakli Chikovani for Zugdidi municipality;
- Irakli Khakhubia for Poti, Khobi and Senaki municipalities;
- Alexandre Motserelia for Tsalenjikha, Chkhorotsku, Martvili and Abasha municipalities;
- Vasil Chigogidze for Ozurgeti, Lanchkhuti and Chokhatauri municipalities;
- Resan Kontselidze for Batumi municipality;
- Zaal Mikeladze for Kobuleti municipality and Makhinjauri, Ortabatumi, Akhalsheni and Peria adm. units of Khelvachauri municipality;
- Anzor Bolkvadze for Khelvachauri (excluding aforementioned adm. units), Keda, Shuakhevi and Khulo municipalities;
- Gocha Enukidze for Ambrolauri, Oni, Tsageri, Lentekhi, and Mestia municipalities.
Statements by the Governing Party Leaders
Lawmakers of the Georgian Dream’s parliamentary majority, members of the central and local governments, as well as various other figures, including Amiran Gamkrelidze (head of the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC), his deputy Paata Imnadze and Tengiz Tsertsvadze (top virologist leading a group of medical experts tasked with devising COVID-19 detection and treatment guidelines), attended the ruling party’s outdoor event in Kojori, near the capital city of Tbilisi.
In his opening speech Bidzina Ivanishvili, chairman and benefactor of the governing party, focused on the achievements during the Georgian Dream’s 8-year-long tenure, as well as the Government’s success to combat COVID-19 pandemic.
“This crisis has demonstrated that the country is ruled by reliable people and that the Georgian Dream government is a guarantor of peace and stability in the country,” Ivanishvili said.
Ivanishvili then criticized the previous Government led by the United National Movement party, noting that “due to their recklessness, they failed to avert the crisis [Russo-Georgian war] in the country in 2008, though it was quite possible.”
“These people are doing their best to come to power and take revenge,” he added.
Speaking about the Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions, Ivanishvili said that “we should use all international levers” to restore Georgia’s territorial integrity. “We should return our Abkhaz and Ossetian brothers peacefully, through building trust, reconciliation, and restoration of respect,” the ruling party leader highlighted.
Ivanishvili also focused on the country’s foreign policy, stressing that the country remains committed to its European and Euro-Atlantic course. He thanked “our western friends, the European Union and our strategic partner, the United States” for supporting Georgia.
The Georgian Dream leader then spoke about the economic situation in the country, saying that the governing party’s action plan will be focused on “economic welfare and education.”
“I am sure that the Georgian Dream will gain a convincing victory during the parliamentary elections,” Ivanishvili maintained.
Speaking at the same event, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia pledged to hold democratic elections, saying that the ruling party’s key goal is “to build economically strong, democratic, European and most importantly – a just state.”
Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze expressed readiness to ensure holding of “fair, transparent and democratic parliamentary elections.”
Irakli Kobakhidze, Georgian Dream’s Executive Secretary and head of its campaign headquarters, said that the ruling team “will show high political and electoral culture” to the public.
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