Runner-up for Tbilisi mayor plans to found a party
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Thursday, October 26
Aleko Alesashvili, who came second in last week’s mayoral race, has stated that he is thinking about the establishment of a political party.
Elisashvili, who participated in the municipal elections as an independent candidate, also says he is ready to cooperate with the new administration of the capital and Mayor Kakha Kaladze.
He states he is ready to hand his programs to the Mayor’s Office free of charge as well as the online platform chemitbilisi.ge.
The programs and the platform are about concerns and needs of the capital city.
Elisashvili, who has been vocal about Tbilisi problems for many years during his time in the Tbilisi City Assembly, claims he is not going to accept a political post offered by the Georgian Dream, if such an offer is made.
“I am thinking about creating a political party from the people who have stood by me, who are professional and honest,” Elisashvili said, excluding unification with existing political parties.
For his part, Kaladze has already expressed his readiness to cooperate with “all political forces who want to do something good for the capital.”
Kaladze announced reforms and changes for Tbilisi Mayor’s Office, which would be based on “professionalism, competence and honesty.”
Political analyst Khatuna Lagazidze says that Elisashvili, former Speaker of Parliament and head of the newly-established Movement for Building David Usupashvili and the leader of the New Georgia party, Giorgi Vashadze, have the potential to become an “alternative to the current political elite.”
With more than 51 percent of the votes, Kaladze won in Tbilisi and Elisashvili followed with 17.47 percent.
Zaal Udumashvili, who represented the United National Movement party, came in third place.
