(Tbilisi, June 4, Civil Georgia) – President Shevardnadze stated at the news briefing on June 4, that the local elections were progress for development of the democratic process in Georgia.
Despite the accidents that occurred during the election, the locals were held and this is the most important, the President said.
President Shevardnadze also commented on the several political parties demand to count the votes once again and hold the new locals.
“So called ruling party the Citizens’ Union of Georgia is not elected in Sakrebulo [city council] at all, so the government was not involved in the violations,” Eduard Shevardnadze said.
In his radio broadcast today the President said that the party, which received the most of the votes, is the most dissatisfied with the results of the elections. Shevardnadze referred to Saakashvili’s National Movement, which according to the preliminary information is on the second place with the 24% of the votes.
Saakashvili held the protest rally in front of the State Chancellery (President’s administration) on June 3, protesting against the numerous violations during the elections.
The delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (CLRAE), which observed the local election, evaluated the locals negatively and noted with regret that the hopes for a fair electoral process were dampened by inappropriate preparations and questionable decisions by the Georgian authorities.
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