Ruling party chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili: Georgia has never had such a long record of stable, peaceful, democratic development
The Georgian Dream presented its party list to the Central Election Commission earlier today, claiming ’ to take at least 100 seats in the 150-member parliament. Photo: Georgian Dream/Facebook
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The ruling Georgian Dream party founder and chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili said at the presentation of party list and program earlier today that Georgia has never had such a long record of stable, peaceful and democratic development since the restoration of independence in 1990s.
Summing up his party’s performance since 2012, Ivanishvili said that during the eight years of his team's governance Georgia has made important steps forward for the eventual membership of the European Union and NATO.
Ivanishvili particularly hailed the EU-Georgia Association Agreement and its Deep and Comprehensive Deep Trade Area (DCFTA) as well as the United States bipartisan Georgia Support Act.
Photo: Georgian Dream/Facebook
Saying that none of their predecessors have managed 'to avoid unrest, chaos and bloodshed' in the country, he noted that the Georgian Dream is ‘the first government’ which has managed to preserve peace and stability for such a long period of time amid ‘the heaviest legacy and the most difficult geopolitical challenges’.
[This was possible] because we strongly believe that peace and stability are the cornerstones for strengthening the country, its democratic development and irreversible progress”, Ivanishvili said.
In his remarks Bidzina Ivanishvili spoke of the grave humanitarian consequences of the Russian occupation of the two Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) as well.
The ruling party chairman said that despite Russian aggression, the Georgian Dream remains committed to peace policy, which is highly valued by the western partners.
Speaking of the coronavirus pandemic, Ivanishvili said that the foreign debt that the country has received to deal with the crisis ‘will be used for public welfare’.
He also added that his team does not spare or steal money, but instead use it to help the socially vulnerable people and others affected by the crisis.
By 6 p.m. on October 1, 52 political parties, including 2 election blocs out of the registered 58 political entities had presented their party lists to the Central Election Commission. Meanwhile, 22 political parties out of 25 will compete for 21 seats (3 majoritarian and 18 proportional) on the Adjara Supreme Council.
The opposition United National Movement has registered its party list with the Central Election Commission today with acclaimed Georgian singer and actor Buba Kikabidze at the top of its list. UNM member Tina Bokuchava told journalists that Kikabidze is a ‘symbol of patriotism’ and therefore the party has named him first.
The Georgian Dream ruling party has presented its party list to the country’s Central Election Commission earlier today, stating that it has ‘all resources’ to take at least 100 seats in the 150-member parliament. The Executive Secretary of the Georgian Dream Irakli Kobakhidze says that ‘we have expectations to receive more than 50 per cent of votes’ in the October 31 elections, ‘which will allow us to have 30 majoritarian MPs and 70 MPs elected via the party-list.’
The ruling Georgian Dream party candidates in six majoritarian constituencies including Tbilisi are leading in Rustavi 2 commissioned polls. The poll carried out by British company Survation between September 12 and September 19 says that the ruling party would receive above 50% of votes if elections were held today.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has accepted the challenge of the opposition parties Lelo and Strategy Agmashenebeli to participate in debates in the coming days.
The recent election polls commissioned by Rustavi 2 TV channel which was conducted by British company Survation say that the ruling Georgian Dream party is expected to receive almost 56 per cent of votes, while polls commissioned by the opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi says the party will receive 26,2 per cent of votes in the October 31 parliamentary elections.
Coronavirus patients who are being treated in hospitals or are in isolation will be able to vote in the parliamentary elections in Georgia on October 31, announces the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia.
"We must go to the elections so that peace and stability may be uninterrupted", the ruling Georgian Dream party founder and chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili said, addressing the nation a day before the parliamentary elections on October 31.