“Soso Tsintsadze: Bidzina Ivanishvili won’t have much influence on the election!”

Akhali Taoba quotes political analyst Soso Tsintsadze as saying that the low-profile but phenomenally wealthy Georgian business tycoon Bidzina Ivanishvili won’t have much impact on the January 5 presidential election.

Last week, Russian news media suggested that Ivanishvili was considering a run at the presidency, but he did not file by the November 26 deadline.

Even by financing the opposition, Tsintsadze continues, the businessman—who is known mostly for his philanthropy—cannot do much.

“The opposition has little time before the election, so Ivanishvili’s money can’t do much. When they don’t have new ideas, money alone won’t help,” the analyst argued, adding that the government’s main advantage is that the opposition is weak.



“Paata Shamugia: Bagapsh’s threats cannot frighten Gali residents!”

Paata Shamugia, the deputy head of the Abkhazian government-in-exile’s Gali section, tells Sakartvelos Respublika that the secessionist leader of Abkhazia is trying to threaten ethnic Georgians in Abkhazia into boycotting the January 5 presidential election.

Despite that, Shamugia insists, the estimated 30–40 000 Georgians in Gali district will definitely vote.

“The Georgians living in Gali will have to come to Zugdidi [the nearest Georgian-controlled city] to vote in the elections,” he said. “I don’t exclude the possibility that the separatist administration will orchestrate provocations to block the roads before January 5.”



“Subeliani will be an energetic minister”

Newly appointed Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze promises that the new Minister of Refugees and Resettlement, Koba Subeliani, will be an “energetic minister,” Akhali Taoba writes.

“[The public] will have a really energetic minister. He used to be very active when he was the head of the Tbilisi City Improvement Service, and I’m sure he will carry on at the same tempo now,” Gurgenidze said.

The prime minister said the government will endeavor to find more money to support IDPs.

In a show of his energy, meanwhile, Subeliani announced that he would not sit in the room for the whole day. He has already begun meeting with IDPs, he says.