President announces election date
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Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili stated today that the presidential elections will be held on October 28.
He said that the date has already been agreed upon with Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze.
Margvelashvili stated that he has not yet made a decision concerning his participation in the race.
I will announce my election plans when I make a decision. It is very hard to be the president of a country where many poor people live and you, as the president, cannot help your citizens,” Margvelashvili stated.
He also said that he was unable to accept the offer of former Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili, who had invited Margvelashvili to his new political movement to change the governance of the Georgian Dream party.
I have never lived the life of a political party and will not do this in the future,” Margvelashvili said.
Political parties and candidates have the right to officially start their election campaigns today.
A majority of those polled believe the opposition should unite around a single candidate and 41 percent of respondents agree with the statement that it would be better for the country if someone outside the ruling party wins the presidency, NDI polls showed.
Independent MP in the Georgian parliament Salome Zurabishvili, who holds both Georgian and French citizenship, has launched procedures to renounce French citizenship, the head of the Parliament’s Legal Committee Eka Beselia has confirmed.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has stated that it would be better for the democracy of the country for the Georgian Dream party not to put forward a candidate in the upcoming presidential elections.
The opposition coalition "Civil Movement - Unity is Power" has presented United National Movement member Grigol Vashadze, ex-Foreign Affairs minister under the Saakashvili government during 2008-2012, as their presidential candidate for the upcoming elections.
Former Parliament Speaker of Georgia David Usupashvili has announced today that he will run for president.