GDDG Leader Wants First Round Victory for Zurabishvili

Former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili wants Salome Zurabishvili to obtain the first round victory in the October 28 presidential elections. Ivanishvili made the remarks after Zurabishvili’s final campaign meeting on October 25.

Speaking to reporters, GDDG leader Bidzina Ivanishvili said he hopes the upcoming elections will be held “peacefully, without incidents,” and that the Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia-endorsed candidate will win in the first round.

“There is a high probability that if there is sufficient mobilization of GDDG supporters, Salome Zurabishvili will obtain the first round victory,” he said, adding that there still is “a minimal chance” for the second round. Ivanishvili stressed, however, that “there is no doubt” Zurabishvili will manage to win in the runoffs.

The GDDG leader then said the two main contenders from opposition – Grigol Vashadze of the UNM-led coalition and Davit Bakradze of the European Georgia – “have almost equal chances of taking the second place.”

Ivanishvili addressed the GDDG voters as well. “I would like to urge our voters to end the elections in the first round, to calm down the [pre-election] emotions, to mobilize entirely and to put aside their questions that Salome Zurabishvili is not a GDDG member,” he noted.

“I would also like to urge our former supporters who have gotten resentful at the party because of the actions of active GDDG members or because of other objective factors, to put aside their grievances, unite and end the elections quickly,” the ruling party leader added.

Zurabishvili held her final campaign meeting today, a large-scale indoor gathering in Tbilisi. GDDG leaders, including cabinet members, lawmakers and representatives of local authorities, were present at the meeting. Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze and Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze were among the speakers at the event.

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