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Nino Burjanadze Refuses to Participate in Presidential Debates on GPB Channel 1

October 24, 2013

Gela Bochikashvili, www.media.ge

Nino Burjanadze, presidential candidate of Democratic Movement –United Georgia said no to taking part in the Presidential Debates on Channel 1 of the Georgian Public Broadcasting (GPB), reads the statement released by the political union on October 17. An application was lodged to the public broadcaster too.

Burjanadze refused to partake in the presidential debates for that reason that presidential candidates for the October 17 and 18 debates have been artificially selected.

“I call on Margvelashvili not to be afraid of his people and instead of a staged show take part in genuine debates with me,” Burjanadze said.

On October 17 and 18 the public broadcaster is going to conduct debates among presidential candidates. On October 17 the GPB TV air will be devoted to the debates among Giorgi Margvelashvili (Georgian Dream), Davit Bakradze (United National Movement), Giorgi Targamadze (Christian-Democratic Movement), Zurab Kharatishvili (European Democrats). On October 18 Koba Davitashvili (People’s Party), Sergo Javakhadze (For Fair Georgia) and Teimuraz Mzhavia (Christian-Democratic People’s Party) will be taking part in the debates.

According to the legislation a qualified election subject is the political union whom in line with the Organic Law of Georgia Political Unions of Citizens, receives funding from the State budget. Democratic Movement for United Georgia is not a qualified election subject therefore Nino Burjanadze’s participation in the debates was not initially planned. She was later included in the list of participants.

Clarifying to Burjanadze’s inclusion in the debates the public broadcaster referred to the article of the Election Code according to which the broadcaster is authorized to recognize as a qualified election subject  the political party or its representative who according to the results of latest five opinion poll surveys carried out during election year or within one month in the run up to elections enjoy no less than 4 percent of public support.

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