Elections in Georgia: the national aspect

The results of the parliamentary elections will remain the main subject for discussion in Georgia still for a long time. What will do Saakashvili now? Can Ivanishvili achieve his resignation from the presidency? Who will become the ministers of the new Georgian government? There are a lot of questions, but it is not necessary to forget that not everything in the life of the country is reduced to personal moving of politicians.

How, for example, to be with that many public organizations representing the people, living in the territory of Georgia, who decided not to support any of political forces of Georgia. This fact speaks about much and the new Georgian government can't simply brush it aside. Here are the documents …

The opinion of the Armenians was fixed in the special statement of the Council of the Armenian public organizations of Samtskhe-Javakhk, accepted in the city of Akhalkalaki:

“The first elections of parliament -legislature, with the powers expanded on the basis of the constitutional reforms, are carried out in the country in the atmosphere of a political tension and threats, persecutions and violence. Again there is a danger of elections with falsifications.

Several weeks ago, on the threshold of the parliamentary elections, the Council of the Armenian public organizations of Samtskhe-Javakhk addressed with letters to the main political forces of Georgia, having suggested to hold the meetings of the representatives of council with the main political forces to learn their position concerning the problems of the population of region. On the basis of this information, the Council should specify the political position concerning the political forces participating in parliamentary elections.

Two main political forces, the ruling party “United national movement” and the oppositional block “The Georgian dream – Democratic Georgia”, didn't respond on appeals of the Council.

The Council of the Armenian public organizations of Samtskhe-Javakhk, considering that:

а) Within the last years the power led by party “United national movement” didn't only promote the settlement of educational, cultural, spiritual and political problems of the Armenian population of Samtskhe-Dzhavakhk by their policy, but also aggravated these problems in the country as a whole and, especially, in our region. In our region the atmosphere of persecutions, threats and fear by detention, arrest, dismissal from work of many people according to the forged and exaggerated charges is created, beginning from familiar political figures to the ordinary citizens solving a problem of a daily bread. Even during the election campaign, this party completely ignored these problems in our region and concentrated on social and economic problems on the decision of which a certain work was carried out, however, and in these spheres the discrimination relation to the Armenians was shown who represent the majority of the population of our region.

b) The block “The Georgian dream – Democratic Georgia”, being the main rival of authorities in power, in the election programs and during the propaganda addressed to a number of the political and cultural and educational problems concerning both different regions of the country, and the population of our region, offering the balanced decisions for them. Nevertheless, such political circles enter into the block, whose fidelity to these principles is very doubtful that was promulgated even during the pre-election campaign. Moreover, the block, like the ruling party, didn't meet the appeal of Council of the Armenian public organizations of Samtskhe-Javakhk for the purpose of discussion of political positions by an official meeting.

According to it:

1. Council of the Armenian public organizations of Samtskhe-Javakhk declares that doesn't support any political force.

2. Council of the Armenian public organizations of Samtskhe-Javakhk supports the representatives of the organizations standing on a majority electoral system whom, being as a part of Council, share the points of view and positions of Council of the Armenian public organizations of Samtskhe-Javakhk concerning the region problems.

3. Council of the Armenian public organizations of Samtskhe-Javakhk urges the population of the region to take active part in elections and by that to prevent from the use of falsifications. Political forces of the country need to show that Javakhk's Armenians stand on protection of the rights and uses of all political possibilities for high-grade upholding of the rights.

Council of the Armenian public organizations of Samtskhe-Javakhk”

The confederation of the Turkic people of Georgia declared the intention to boycott the parliamentary elections. It was declared officially by the president of Confederation of the Turkic people of Georgia Dashgyn Gyulmamedov. He reported that the Confederation of the Turkic people of Georgia doesn't support neither Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement, nor an oppositional coalition “The Georgian Dream” of Bidzina Ivanishvili.

Gyulmamedov noted that the candidates of both parties don't represent the interests of the Azerbaijanians of Georgia as their candidates weren't coordinated with the Azerbaijani-speaking population at all. Here is his point of view:

“Both the power and opposition always used the Azerbaijanians of Georgia only during the elections. This time it won't be. The overwhelming part of the Azerbaijanians of Georgia will boycott the elections. They won't vote for somebody. We already made the oral appeal to Borchala (Kvemo Kartli's) population.

The power and opposition perfectly realize that by the voices of the Azerbaijanians and Armenians of Georgia it is possible to bring a victory of this or that party. It is rather sharp fact. But the power and opposition always deceived the Azerbaijanians. We don't see any sense to participate in elections. It will give nothing to us once again. Therefore we decided to boycott the parliamentary elections”.