Political Zugzwang

Irakli Sesiashvili, a Georgian politologist believes that "the Georgian authorities outstrip by one goal", GHN reports. This is what he said commenting on Gamsakhurdia's return to parliament: "The authorities are playing the game outstripping by one goal. Even if they fail to score it, they will count it anyway, - Sesiashvili said. - I don't want to criticize anyone but if Konstantin Gamsakhurdia wants to pursue that kind of policy and be part of the background that the authorities are trying to set up (I mean the impression that the opposition is present in parliament) then it looks like Gamsakhurdia's political decision and it will be duly assessed by the people at the time of elections".

Indeed at this stage it is right to say that this round is won over by the ruling United National Movement.

Deputy Jondi Bagaturia stated there were two more oppositionists willing to come back to parliament. He didn't name them. Probably wanting to steam up his colleagues (Bagaturia represents parliamentary opposition; it was his idea to establish a committee to investigate the first president's death).

At the end of last week the International Republican Institute (IRI) published the results of the poll on political preferences of Georgian citizens. It turns out that in case of extraordinary parliamentary election 43 per cent of the respondents would vote for United National Movement, the ruling party, Rosbalt reports.

Alliance for Georgia (Irakli Alasania) comes second - 9 per cent, the Labor Party of Georgia (Shalva Nateliashvili) comes third - 7 per cent. 18 per cent of the respondents made no answer. The opposition ventured a guess the poll was a frame up as part of the government team's propaganda campaign. Part of the radical opposition is going to continue rallies against all odds. So it's only this round that the ruling movement has won. It is hard to say when the active phase of another confrontation round will take place. Georgian politologists are sure Georgia will be rallying until Saakashvili steps down.

Apparently Matvey Ganapolsky is right blogging that "either Saakashvili must resign four years before his term expires or stay and move against the opposition of the majority of his citizens all these four years. I don't know if he needs four years like these". I would like to take up his idea: does Georgia and its people need four years like these? In the last twenty years they have seen wars, political crises and conflicts. Now they want peace and normal living.

The most important issue facing Georgian households as IRI's poll reveals is unemployment. The most unpopular things for them are government policies and "enhancement of national identity". Only 1 per cent favors that.

The poll results perfectly reflect today's reality in Georgia.

Print version

Irina Ptashkovskaya