(Tbilisi, September 8, 2003, Civil Georgia) – President Shevardnadze welcomed today former State Minister Vazha Lortkipanidze’s decision to join the pro-governmental election alliance For New Georgia.
“He might take the first place in our list of MP candidates. Vazha Lortkipanidze is very experienced politician,” President Shevardnadze said in his Monday radio broadcast on September 8.
The news on Lortkipanidze’s appearance in the presidential-backed election bloc broke on September 5 after the meeting between Eduard Shevardnadze and Tbilisi-bas!
ed 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 presidential-backed alliance.
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.
However President Shevardnadze downplayed Patarkatsishvili’s role in this process. He said, “it was State Minister Avtandil Jorbenadze’s idea to invite Vazha Lortkipanidze in our bloc.”
“Patarkatsishvili has nothing common with Lortkipanidze’s decision. However, during the meeting with Patarkatsishvili he welcomed Lortkipanidze’s decision to join the pro-governmental election bloc,” the President added.