15 candidates appealed the Central Election Commission for registration as presidential candidate for the January 4 elections. Deadline for appealing the CEC expired in the evening on December 2.
Mikheil Saakashvili of National Movement, who was a key figure in velvet revolution, is the most favorite to win the presidency. Observers say that Saakashvili has no real contender in the presidential race.
The presidential candidates list also includes Igor Giorgadze, Georgia’s former security chief who fled the country after being accused of terrorist attack against Eduard Shevardnadze in 1995. He is still wanted by Georgia. Giorgadze has been allegedly harboring in Russia ever since.
However Giorgadze is in trouble with the law that requires presidential candidates to live in Georgia for at least two years before an election.
For the same reason Igor Giorgadze was rejected by the Central Election Commission to be registered as an MP candidate for the November 2 parliamentary elections.