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Compiled by Londa Mindiashvili
Monday, December 21
We are ready for elections
Akhali Taoba writes that the Alliance for Georgia's Sozar Subari considers that the latest actions of the Government indicate that elections may be appointed in the near future and the opposition will be given little time to prepare for them.
“The Government is acting like it did at the 2006 local elections. The authorities had said that these elections would be held in December but in August they called them for October 5. Consequently it is possible that they will be held in a few weeks and not in May as planned. However, I am sure that the Alliance for Georgia will be ready for anything because we take into consideration all possible scenarios,” stated Subari.
Alliance urged to change its decision
Rezonansi writes that the Conservatives are still calling on the Alliance for Georgia to participate in the primaries, designed to identify a common opposition candidate for Tbilisi Mayor.
“None of the steps this Government takes are known beforehand, so we don't know what it will do and what the public will be ready for. Accordingly, it is possible that the elections will be called for earlier than May. However, under the legislation the elections must be called two months before they are held, so they cannot be held before February or March. The opposition will thus be able to prepare for the elections and choose a common candidate," states Conservative Co-Leader Zviad Dzidziguri.
"We are planning to hold primaries at the beginning of March. Without a common candidate the opposition will hand victory to Saakashvili and the Government. We have made that mistake once and are not going to do it again,” said Dzidziguri.
If not suicide or assassination, what?
Sakartvelos Respublika reports that the Prosecutors’ Office cannot confirm that Zviad Gamsakhurdia committed suicide but there is no evidence which indicates murder. The only thing which can be confirmed was that Gamsakhurdia was being pursued by the special services of the Government. Mikheil Osadze announced this at the meeting of the special commission investigating the death of the first President of Georgia.
“An investigation into the murder of Zviad Gamsakhurdia was begun in 1994 and concluded in 2004. The Prosecutors’ Office said that it did not have enough evidence to suggest that the President was murdered. But there is a lot of controversial testimony. There is also a letter from Bochorishvili which states that the trail of the bullet and direction of the wound excludes suicide. The materials held by the Prosecutors’ Office demonstrate that a lot of things are unclear. Very serious work is needed in order to establish the truth,” said Osadze.
Akhali Taoba writes that the Alliance for Georgia's Sozar Subari considers that the latest actions of the Government indicate that elections may be appointed in the near future and the opposition will be given little time to prepare for them.
“The Government is acting like it did at the 2006 local elections. The authorities had said that these elections would be held in December but in August they called them for October 5. Consequently it is possible that they will be held in a few weeks and not in May as planned. However, I am sure that the Alliance for Georgia will be ready for anything because we take into consideration all possible scenarios,” stated Subari.
Alliance urged to change its decision
Rezonansi writes that the Conservatives are still calling on the Alliance for Georgia to participate in the primaries, designed to identify a common opposition candidate for Tbilisi Mayor.
“None of the steps this Government takes are known beforehand, so we don't know what it will do and what the public will be ready for. Accordingly, it is possible that the elections will be called for earlier than May. However, under the legislation the elections must be called two months before they are held, so they cannot be held before February or March. The opposition will thus be able to prepare for the elections and choose a common candidate," states Conservative Co-Leader Zviad Dzidziguri.
"We are planning to hold primaries at the beginning of March. Without a common candidate the opposition will hand victory to Saakashvili and the Government. We have made that mistake once and are not going to do it again,” said Dzidziguri.
If not suicide or assassination, what?
Sakartvelos Respublika reports that the Prosecutors’ Office cannot confirm that Zviad Gamsakhurdia committed suicide but there is no evidence which indicates murder. The only thing which can be confirmed was that Gamsakhurdia was being pursued by the special services of the Government. Mikheil Osadze announced this at the meeting of the special commission investigating the death of the first President of Georgia.
“An investigation into the murder of Zviad Gamsakhurdia was begun in 1994 and concluded in 2004. The Prosecutors’ Office said that it did not have enough evidence to suggest that the President was murdered. But there is a lot of controversial testimony. There is also a letter from Bochorishvili which states that the trail of the bullet and direction of the wound excludes suicide. The materials held by the Prosecutors’ Office demonstrate that a lot of things are unclear. Very serious work is needed in order to establish the truth,” said Osadze.