Ex-PM, opposition For Georgia party leader Gakharia to run for Tbilisi mayor
Giorgi Gakharia has nominated himself as the mayoral candidate for his party today. Photo: For Georgia/Facebook
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Former Georgian PM Giorgi Gakharia, who now leads the For Georgia opposition party, has announced today his plans of running for Tbilisi mayor.
Gakharia said that three months after the establishment of the For Georgia party it has been the one and the only political party with an increasing rating in Georgia.
Because a citizen of Georgia is wise, fair… because it is clear that today Georgian citizens need a wiser, fairer… government”, Gakharia said, reiterating that “We do not fight against anybody”.
To fight is not the objective for us. Our goal is [to have] a fair, strong and modern country”, he added.
Ex-PM who resigned in mid-February following a dispute with the ruling party said long ago when he joined the Georgian Dream party it was not an organisation, but “a union based on shared values”.
It was a dream about a better, successful Georgia; it was a dream about a fair, conscientious environment”, Gakharia said.
Unfortunately today, the leaders of the Georgian Dream organisation have forgotten these ideals and values”, he said.
Gakharia said that it has no difference whether with its poor performance “the Georgian Dream organisation” would encourage the United National Movement party return to power or treat people the same way as the UNM did (while in power before 2012).
He said, this is why it is “dangerous for the Georgian citizens to be left alone facing these two forces”.
Today Gakharia also introduced his party’s proportional and majoritarian lists for Tbilisi City Assembly (Sakrebulo) and mayoral candidates in the regions.
The proportional list includes:
- Levan Dolidze
- Zaza Tavadze
- Salome Kobaladze
- Giorgi Sharashidze
- Davit Partsvania
- Tamar Khvedeliani
- Ekaterine Vepkhvadze
- Malkhaz Mchedlishvili
- Giorgi Soselia
- Tiko Tvaladze
- Giorgi Kiknavelidze
- Zaur Rekhviashvili
- Ketevan Bakaradze
- Vato Pachulia
The majoritarian candidates in Tbilisi are:
- Samgori district – Kakhaber Kemoklidze
- Gldani – Natia Mezvrishvili
- Isani – Davit Gogidze
- Krtsanisi – Zurab Rekhviashvili
- Mtatsminda – Vakhtang Gvazava
- Vake – Merab Machavariani
- Chughureti – Rusudan Tevzadze
- Didube – Giorgi Kajaia
- Saburtalo – Mikheil Nabijashvili
- Nadzaladevi – Galaktion Gudushauri
The mayoral candidates in the regions are:
- Rustavi – Beka Liluashvili
- Batumi – Irakli Mikeladze
- Ozurgeti – Gia Tsetskhladze
- Lanchkhuti – Elguja Kalandarishvili
- Chokhatauri – Paata Berishvili
- Kutaisi – Giorgi Goguadze
- Kharagauli – Varlam Tavzarashvili
- Zestaponi – Lasha Tskhadadze
- Bagdati – Lado Vardzieli
- Chiatura – Usup (Uta) Bitsadze
- Tkibuli – Sandro Sakhvadze
- Tskaltubo – Rusudan Silagadze
- Telavi – Giga Orkodashvili
- Kvareli – Giorgi Gigiloshvili
- Mtskheta – Ana Buchukuri
- Tianeti – Tamaz Iarajuli
- Dusheti – Tengiz Zhamutashvili
- Kazbegi – Giorgi Gomiashvili
- Ambrolauri – Parnaoz Bakuradze
- Oni – Imeda Meshvildishvili
- Tsageri – Besarion Bendeliani
- Lentekhi – Jamlat Gvidiani
- Zugdidi – Gega Shengelia
- Martvili – Lasha Lekishvili
- Akhaltsikhe – Giorgi Arveladze
- Gori – Konstantine Ananiashvili
- Kareli – Vakhtang Gogichaishvili
- Kaspi – Giorgi Bestavashvili
- Khashuri – Zviad Tepnadze
- Abasha – Avtandil Bokuchava
- Senaki – Giorgi Sichinava
- Khobi – Badri Jobava
- Tsalenjikha – Khvicha Mebonia
- Chkhorotsku – Shengeli Jikia
- Poti – Giorgi Apsaridze
- Mestia – Malkhaz Udesiani
- Batumi – Irakli Mikeladze
Georgia will have local self-government elections on October 2.
Georgian Dream ruling party has named acting mayor Kakha Kaladze for the second tenure in mid-July. Nika Melia runs as the candidate for the united opposition, the party co-founder Ana Bibilashvili will run for Lelo, while Anna Dolidze - For the People party has nominated its founder Anna Dolidze as a candidate for Tbilisi mayor
Nigerian businessman Arinze Richard Ogbunuju is also running for Tbilisi mayor.
Former Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has stated that he has ‘no plans to leave the country or politics.’ He told journalists earlier today that he will announce his intentions in the coming days. Gakharia resigned on February 18, 2021, saying that the step was connected with the upcoming arrest of the opposition MP and the head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has announced his resignation earlier today, saying that the step is connected with the upcoming arrest of the opposition MP, the head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia. Gakharia has stated that Melia violated the law and has been engaged in sparking tension in the country.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili says that the opposition parties are ‘campaigning’ for the postponement of the October 2 municipal elections because they are ‘destined for failure’ in the race. While presenting the ruling party’s majoritarian candidate in Mestia in the Svaneti region earlier today, Garibashvili noted that the opposition ‘has used the Public Defender’s office’ to push the government to declare a state of emergency which will automatically postpone the elections.
Former Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, who now chairs the For Georgia political union, said at the party’s launch presentation earlier today that ‘we unite for Georgia, but not against anybody’. Stating that his team will be actively involved in political processes, Gakharia said Georgia now needs a political party which can ‘look the truth in the eyes’ and speak up about the challenges the country is facing nowadays, instead of living in illusions.
The ruling party mayoral candidate and incumbent mayor Kakha Kaladze has presented the candidates for Tbilisi City Council (Sakrebulo) membership for the upcoming local-self government elections.
The head of the ruling Georgian Dream party (GD) Irakli Kobakhidze says that former PM Giorgi Gakharia, who was nominated for Tbilisi mayor yesterday by his For Georgia political party, ‘has made an attempt with the use of a mediator to receive financial support from us for his refusal to run for Tbilisi mayor.’
Deputy Chair of opposition For Georgia party Natia Mezvrishvili says the ruling Georgian Dream party persecutes and threatens opposition politicians, especially in regions. “The Georgian Dream continues the political persecution against the supporters and members of For Georgia party by using various methods of threat and pressure”, Mezvrishvili said at a news briefing today.
Former Georgian PM Giorgi Gakharia, who is running for Tbilisi mayor in the upcoming October 2 self-government elections, has accused local TV channel Imedi of political bias and demands to be aired live. Giorgi Gakharia resigned from the post of PM on February 18, 2021 due to a disagreement with the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and soon after in late May launched the For Georgia political party. The GD accused Gakharia of planning an alleged coup together with the largest opposition United National Movement (UNM) party, noting that his resignation ’was profitable for the UNM.’
The For Georgia opposition party, which was founded by the country’s former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia back in may 2021, says that Gakharia’s hair follicle drug test performed by FTC-Forensisch-Toxikologisches Labor in Austria, Vienna, on September 14, is negative.