Lela Khechoshvili, Kakheti
Political parties in Gurjaani started preparation for the 2016 parliamentary election. Chairman of the municipal board Vano Berdzishvili is planned to be the majoritarian candidate for the parliamentary elections from the district.
Vano Berdzishvili told humanrights.ge that he has already started pre-election campaign. As for his candidature he neither denied nor confirmed the information. Berdzishvili said the political council will make final decision.
Gia Gergidze, Gurjaani district governor, is also viewed as a majoritarian candidate for the Coalition Georgian Dream. However, several members of the Coalition oppose his candidature.
“We will oppose Vano Berdzishvili to be the majoritarian candidate in the elections because he does not have adequate education and experience. Besides that he is an ally of the United National Movement members and betrays us. Berdzishvili will lose the position of the party chairman too. Even the head office of the Coalition is aware of his treachery. We will not allow him to participate in the parliamentary elections,” member of the Georgian Dream Tsitsino Gviniashvili said.
Internal controversy in the Georgian Dream’s Gurjaani organization started long ago. It was confirmed by the incident when the bureau members of the Georgian Dream Khatuna Betsishvili and Tsitsino Gviniashvili were not allowed into the party conference in Gurjaani.
Other political parties also intend to have majoritarian candidates in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Leader of the local organization of the United National Movement Nika Nizharadze told humanrights.ge that Giorgi Gviniashvili, acting majoritarian MP of the UNM, may be the candidate in the upcoming elections too. Zviad Kviralashvili may be the majoritarian candidate of the Republic Party of Georgia in Gurjaani and Simon Kochorashvili, the municipal board member from the Free Democrats, may also be the majoritarian candidate in the 2016 elections.
The political parties have not yet made final decision on the majoritarian candidates in the parliamentary elections.