Snap Election -=- Georgian President Is ?

[MosJan]

TBILISI, Georgia (CNN) -- Georgia President Mikheil Saakashvili vowed that Saturday's snap election to decide the fate of his government would be a free and fair vote, and so far opponents have offered no evidence of widespread fraud as citizens go to the polls in this former Soviet republic.

 

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The pro-western Saakashvili, the hero of Georgia's "Rose Revolution" who was elected in a landslide four years ago, called the election after he was criticized for a crackdown against violent anti-government protests in November.

 

"We are committed to having free and fair elections," Saakashvili told reporters after he cast his own ballot Saturday. "We are committed to having Georgia as a beacon of democracy in our part of the world."

 

Saakashvili appeared confident Saturday, perhaps encouraged by polling released by his campaign that showed him with 52 percent support against six opponents. He must get 50 pecent plus one vote to avoid a runoff in two weeks against the second highest vote-getter.

 

Just four years ago, Saakashvili won with 96 percent of the vote -- an election that came just two months after he led his own anti-government protest that came to be known as the "Rose Revolution."

 

That dramatic event saw Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze, on live television, flee out the back door of parliament as demonstrators rushed in the front.

 

When Saakashvili was faced with his own protests accusing him of corruption last November, he declared a nationwide state of emergency and sent security forces, using water cannons and tear gas, against the crowds. Hundreds of people were injured in scuffles with police.

 

He answered charges that he had become anti-democratic by calling for a new presidential election which he hoped would show he is not trying to become an authoritarian leader.

 

"We are a democracy in a region where democracy is not meant to be," he said Saturday.

 

He is hoping voters will credit him for the reversal of his republic's economy -- which included 10 percent growth last year.

 

"We took a country that was nowhere, a failed state with basically a zero reputation, and with a very, very negative reputation, and now look at where Georgia is," he said.

 

 

 

 

 

"We are going to stick to the course of the reforms," he said. "The radical reforms we instituted improved the lives of our people and made Georgia a real success story."

 

More than 2,000 election observers and 160 media organizations from around the world converged on Georgia to watch Saturday's election.

 

The continuation for Saakashvili's government is important for the United States. Georgia is the third largest contributor of troops to the coalition in Iraq -- behind the United States and Britain.

 

 

[Ashot]

Saakashvili appeared confident Saturday, perhaps encouraged by polling released by his campaign that showed him with 52 percent support against six opponents. He must get 50 pecent plus one vote to avoid a runoff in two weeks against the second highest vote-getter.

An exit poll showed President Mikhail Saakashvili winning Saturday's election with 53.8 percent, with his main challenger, Levan Gachechiladze, receiving 28.3 percent. Saakashvili needed an absolute majority to avoid a runoff vote. The exit poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

 

Gachechiladze claimed the exit poll was falsified and he had won in most precincts. He called for protests Sunday afternoon, urging "all of Georgia to come to make sure we don't lose our country."

[Ashot]

Georgian election consistent with most commitments but challenges must be addressed urgently

 

While the 5 January presidential election in Georgia was in essence consistent with most international standards for democratic elections, significant challenges were revealed which need to be addressed urgently, the International Election Observation Mission concluded in a joint preliminary statement yesterday.

 

This was the first genuinely competitive presidential election in the country, enabling the Georgian people to express their political choice. The election campaign was conducted in a highly polarized environment, marked by a lack of trust and pervasive allegations of violations. The distinction between state activities and the former President's campaign was sometimes blurred, contributing to an inequitable campaign environment.

 

Some 85 parliamentarians and 340 short-term observers monitored the election for the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) and the European Parliament (EP).

 

"Because of the demonstrative competitiveness of this campaign, I perceive this election as a viable expression of the free choice of the Georgian people, but the future holds immense challenges," said OSCE PA President Emeritus, Alcee L. Hastings, the Special Co-ordinator of the OSCE short-term election observers.

 

Mátyás Eörsi, the Head of the PACE delegation, said: "This election, although clearly not perfect, enabled the Georgian people to give a democratic response to the recent political crisis. Georgians should be congratulated for the commitment they showed on election day to democratic principles. Now it is up to the authorities to hear our criticisms and urgently respond to the significant shortcomings noted. For the sake of the stability of the country I call upon all actors to conclude this election process in a manner that ensures the legitimacy in they eyes of Georgian people."

 

Marie Anne Isler-Beguin, who headed the EP delegation, said: "This election is another step forward in strengthening Georgia's young and still fragile democracy. For the upcoming legislative elections, as decided by the plebiscite, the necessary lessons have to be taken immediately. The European Union will continue to assist Georgia on this path, in particular with the instruments of the Neighbourhood policy."

 

The European Neighbourhood Policy was developed in 2004, with the objective of avoiding the emergence of new dividing lines between the enlarged EU and its neighbours and instead strengthening the prosperity, stability and security of all concerned.

 

Ambassador Dieter Boden, the Head of the OSCE/ODIHR long-term mission, said: "We have noted an election which has been prepared in a professional manner but we would do a disservice to Georgian democracy if we did not also speak out openly where it was not in line with OSCE commitments, such as cases of intimidation. Those are challenges which should be addressed urgently and through the appropriate channels."

 

Despite the short timeframe, the Central Election Commission prepared the election in an overall professional manner, operating transparently and carrying out an extensive voter education campaign. However, on contentious issues, its members acted in a partisan manner, not always observing the neutrality required of an election administration.

 

The campaign was overshadowed by widespread allegations of intimidation and pressure, a number of which were substantiated. The implementation of social welfare programmes was frequently combined with campaigning for the former President.

 

In most polling stations visited, election day was organized and relatively peaceful but with significant regional variations and isolated cases of serious violations. In some precincts the process was chaotic and with procedural problems, in particular relating to inking, a safeguard measure against multiple voting. Some 5 per cent of voters were added to the voter list on election day. Observers evaluated the counting less positively, noting a slow process and procedural shortcomings

[Ashot]

Georgian leader wants better ties with Russia

 

Georgian leader Mikhail Saakashvili wants to improve relations with Russia, he said on Monday after winning the former Soviet state's presidential election which his opponents say was rigged.

 

Relations between Tbilisi and Moscow have been strained to near breaking point during Saakashvili's first four years in office as he steered Georgia towards the West and NATO membership. Russia supports two Georgian rebel regions and has cut trade and transport links.

 

"The first step for us is to be looking for new opportunities in order to improve pretty damaged relations with Russia," he told Reuters in an interview.

 

He did not give further details on how relations could be mended but said: "We are certainly willing to take our part of the burden to improve our relations."

 

Georgia straddles the South Caucasus, which hosts a major pipeline pumping oil from the Caspian Sea to Europe and where both Russia and the United States are battling for influence.

 

Georgia's central election commission has named Saakashvili, a 40-year-old U.S. educated lawyer, as the winner of Saturday's presidential election with more than 52 percent of the vote, about double his nearest challenger, Levan Gachechiladze.

 

Gachechiladze is head of an opposition coalition which accuses Saakashvili of corruption and economic mismanagement and has called for street protests to contest the election.

 

Saakashvili called the election to restore his credibility after angering his Western allies by crushing street demonstrations with riot police in November.

 

Western monitors said the poll contained flaws, but that they were not serious enough to impact a competitive election.

[Ashot]

Saakashvili wins the presidential election in Georgia

 

Official results have confirmed Mikhail Saakashvili's victory in presidential elections in Georgia last week.

 

The Central Election Commission said Mr. Saakashvili, who called the snap poll after civil unrest, won 52% of the vote, averting the need for a run-off.

 

His nearest rival, Levan Gachechiladze, won 25% of the vote.

 

Opposition parties say the vote was rigged and they will not accept the result. They have threatened to stage a massive protest on Sunday.

[elle]

I was thinking that it's funny how the Georgian nation was fighting his resignation so desparately, but he ended up being elected!

Lucky Georgians!