Categories
Journalistic Survey
Articles
Reportage
Analitic
Photo Reportage
Exclusive
Interview
Foreign Media about Georgia
Editorial
Position
Reader's opinion
Blog
Themes
Children's Rights
Women's Rights
Justice
Refugees/IDPs
Minorities
Media
Army
Health
Corruption
Elections
Education
Penitentiary
Religion
Others

Opposition Closing Down the Offices in Kvemo Kartli

September 3, 2010
Manon Bokuchava, Kvemo Kartli

After the local government elections, opposition parties stopped activities in Kvemo Kartli. Almost all the opposition party offices were closed down. “The main problem is the financing. Apparently, we see the need of the office, but can’t cover its expenses,” – states the regional representative of political party Freedom.

The office door of Christian-democrats testifies that it’s been long since it was entered by the pro opposition citizen. The whole door is wrapped in the spider web. The signboard of the office reads – “Open for Rent.” Like George Targamadze’s Freedom party, the office got closed down because of the lack of money.

“Unfortunately, we also need to close down the office. This is bad not only for the party, but for the whole city,” – states the head of the Republican Party Rustavi Office. Their office is rented by Rustavi Gas now.

No opposition party has had the stable work experience in Kvemo Kartli. All the above mentioned parties opened up their own offices in the region two months before the elections. “They are like mushrooms appearing before elections and disappearing afterwards. We understand that we don’t have as much money as Nationals, but why can’t they agree on making one united office? At least the displeased people will have somewhere to go. People have power – by standing together we can progress the work,” – states Tamaz Kakulia from Rustavi.

In the private conversations, opposition party representatives state that the government provided them with money for offices and activities during the election period: “This was meant for facade democracy in Kvemo Kartli. Exactly for this purpose, several opposition representatives were accepted to region councils (Sakrebulo). Now they can’t change anything. Everything is decided by the majority vote. Therefore, the Nationals are in charge. The only place where the democracy plan failed was Gardabari. Practically, there’s no opposition in their Sakrebulo.”

The favorite topic of homeless opposition in the region is the facts of arrest of the election winners of Nationals. As a reminder, on August 27th, the head of Marneuli Municipality Sakrebulo Aivaz Ismailov, who received 68% of election votes, was arrested with the charge of bribe taking by the Interior Ministry. The deputy director of Dmanisi Municipality Sakrebulo Kamran Musaevi was arrested as well. He had received 92% of votes at the local government elections.

News