Tbilisi Mayor Says Zourabichvili Won’t Be Ruling Party’s Presidential Choice
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Tuesday, July 24
Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, who is one of the most influential figures in the Georgian Dream ruling party, says that the former Foreign Minister, now independent MP in Georgian parliament, Salome Zourabichvili will not be the presidential candidate of the Georgian Dream ruling party for the upcoming presidential race this fall.
Kaladze said that the Georgian Dream is considering several “dignified candidates” ,who have a chance to win the first round of elections.
"Interesting, worthy candidates are being considered, who have a chance to win the first round of elections. Accordingly, the political board of the party will discuss this issue and decide who will be our presidential candidate,” Kaladze said.
There are speculations that Bidzina Ivanishvili, who founded the Georgian Dream coalition which defeated the nine-year rule of the United National Movement in 2012, may also be the ruling party’s candidate for the presidential position.
The opposition welcomes the idea, as they believe that Ivanishvili is now running the country from the backstage.
The ruling party says that they will nominate their candidate by the end of July or in early august.
The United National Movement opposition, with nine other parties, nominated Grigol Vashadze, the former foreign minister.
The European Georgia opposition named former Parliament Speaker David Bakradze for presidency.
Current President GiorgiMargvelashvili has not yet revealed his plans.
