Shorena Ghlonti, Guria
Most opposition parties might have made a deal with the government before the municipality elections of May 30. The reason of the assumption is the party-belonging of the regional and district election commissions members. However, neither those opposition parties are active whose quotas were used by the National Movement.
Member of the Labor Party in Ozurgeti Davit Mamaladze claims that the elections of May 30 will be rigged for sure. He said, their party refused to take part in the elections for this reason. He explained introduction of their members into the election commissions by increasing the qualifications for the following elections.
“The party is preparing its members for the future elections,” said Mamaladze who also claims that opposition parties “Entrepreneurs” and “By Ourselves” gave their quotas in the election commissions to the ruling party.
Leader of the Entrepreneurs Zurab Tkemaladze said they do not have local leaders in Guria region and they select members among their relatives and friends.
We asked him why the supporters of the National Movement were in the election commissions with the quotas of their party, he said they staffed the members based on the recommendations of other people. So it is not excluded that some of them might be unacceptable for the society and are considered to be the member of the National Movement.
“You tell me and I will find out who recommended us those people. I cannot know all 3 700 people personally and cannot study their biography in details,” said Tkemaladze.
“Call me tomorrow morning or later and I will ask the person who is n charge of the regions,” said the leader of the Entrepreneurs when we informed him that most of their members in the Ozurgeti district election commission # 60 and in polling stations were supporters of the National Movement.
We have not found out who represents political party By Ourselves in Guria region. Supporters of both ruling party and opposition parties unofficially tell us they also try to get information about them.
On April 26, at the first session of the election commissions, 17-17 secretaries were elected from Christian-Democratic Party and Entrepreneurs, 6 were elected from the Republic Party and 3 were elected from the Conservative Party and By Ourselves.
Today their membership is the following: Christian-Democrats have 19 secretaries as well as the political party By Ourselves; Entrepreneurs have 17 secretaries, Republic Party and Conservative Party have 4 and 3 secretaries.
Marine Sungulia from the Republic Party said that most commission members and secretaries are members of the ruling party or their active supporters. She can declare it because she knows them personally.
“I want to point out that in fact, only two opposition parties will struggle to win the elections – Alliance for Georgia and Movement for the Just Georgia,” said Marine Sungulia.
Opposition parties are afraid that the government will try to bribe the commission members from the opposition parties. They will suggest the members of the opposition parties to be loyal on the Election Day in exchange of some money. The opposition parties claim they have already had similar “experience” in the past – during the presidential elections of May 21 of 2008 price for the commission members was between 200 USD and 200 GEL.
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