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What chances do majoritarian candidates from the ruling party have?

The United National Movement named its majoritarian candidates for Tbilisi on August 13. The candidates were represented by the Parliament Speaker of Georgia, Davit Bakradze and Tbilisi Mayor, Gigi Ugulava.

The candidates are: Vake-Giorgi Karbelashvili, Mtatsminda-Archil Gegenava, Krtsanisi-Davit Sakvarelidze, Gldani-Nikoloz Khachirishvili, Nadzaladevi-Merab Samadashvili, Chughureti-Andro Alavidze, Isani-Giorgi Vashadze,Samgori-Mikheil Machavariani,Saburtalo-Andria Urushadze, Didube-Giorgi Chachanidze.

Rezonansi asked some public figures to express their opinion about the candidates.

Gela Nikolaishvili, lawyer: society knows these people very well. The majority of them have been in with the current administration for a long time. Mikheil Machavariani, Giorgi Karbeashvili etc... Some of them were in Shevardnadze’s National Movement Party and none of them have done anything for people. If the elections are held fairly and the votes are not rigged, none of the candidates from the National Movement will have a chance to win the elections.

Giga Lortkipanidze, Movie Director: I think that national movement will lose in the elections. Accordingly, I think that their candidates’ chances are very low.

Ia Antadze, Media Analyst: Saakashvili presented majoritarian MP candidates that have been in politics and with the current administration for a long time. He has not presented actors and actresses– or some well known public figures that are respected by society. The choice is very easy for Tbilisi residents, they either should choose close allies of Saakashvili or change.



Number of prisoners in Georgia

24 Hours writes that as of July 1, 2012, there are 23, 406 prisoners in the penitentiary system of Georgia. This is 750 prisoners less than in previous years. According to the Ministry of Correction and Legal Assistance of Georgia, the number reduction is caused by the liberalization of criminal code.

According to the data of 2010 there were 23, 684 prisoners in 2011.