...

Georgian Opposition to Bear Loss of Parliamentary Elections – Experts

Politics Materials 27 May 2008 16:33 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijan, Baku, 27 May / Trend corr. A.Gasimova / The Georgian opposition has to bear the loss of parliamentary elections on 21 May, wherein the ruling United National Movement party gained the majority. "At present, Georgia is divided into two parts - opposition and government. It seems like the President Michael Saakashvili and his supporters are the best choice for Georgia," Ronald Sani, American professor, stated.

The Georgian opposition blames the ruling party, which collected 59% of votes, of falsification of results of the parliamentary elections. Opposition holds protest actions and will not take part in the new summon of the Parliament. However, the government considers that the current parliamentary elections were fair and democratic.

"The political struggle in Georgia is being held in compliance with the law and democracy, although many mistakes have been made both by the government and opposition," Sani, a professor in the Michigan and Chicago Universities of the United States, stated. The crisis can be avoided if both sides, opposition and government, play on the rules and not use violence.

The dissatisfaction of Georgian opposition with the results of parliamentary elections will not lead to destabilization of the situation in the country, Svante Cornell, European Export. "Opposition cannot collect enough number of people to stage mass rallies. I believe that the opposition cannot cause any disorders in the country," Cornell, Director of the Institute of Middle Asia and Caucasus at the University named Hopkins (US), stated over a telephone from Stockholm. The expert said that opposition managed to collect 2/3 thousands of people after the presidential elections, but at present the situation is quite different.

Opposition, according to Cornell, has stated before the elections that in the case of loss it would consider the results as faked, although they have no any evidence of this. "Opposition cannot change the results, and international watchdogs have positively recognized Saakashvili's victory," expert said.

The mass rally was staged in Georgia on 26 May. About 10,000 people took part in the rally. The rally participants stated that the United Opposition Party did not recognize the results of parliamentary elections on 21 May.

Latest

Latest