Former State Minister Becomes Presidential-Backed Election Bloc Member

(Tbilisi, September 6, 2003, Civil Georgia) – Vazha Lortkipanidze, former State Minister became the member of the presidential-backed election alliance For New Georgia.

According to the unofficial reports Vazha Lortkipanidze’s appearance in the bloc For New Georgia is a result of talks between President Shevardnadze and Tbilisi-based influential tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili. Lortkipanidze is a close friend of Patarkatsishvili.

Representatives of the bloc For New Georgia admit that after the talks, which were held late on September 5, Patarkatsishvili agreed to finance election campaign of the pres!
idential-backed alliance.

“We are really happy that people like him [Patarkatsishvili] will be with us,” one of the leaders of the presidential-backed election bloc and governor of Kvemo Kartli region Levan Mamaladze said.

Unofficial reports say that in exchange Patarkatsishvili demanded from the President to enter Lortkipanidze in the top of the bloc’s list of candidates for MP.

Observers say the hand-shaking agreement between President Shevardnadze and Patarkatsishvili might cause controversy between the President and State Minister Avtandil Jorbenadze, who has an ambition to lead the election bloc.

Badri Patarkatsishvili is wanted by Russia for fraud allegations. Moscow demanded from Georgia for several times his extradition.