Press Scanner
Compiled by Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Thursday, September 10
Ruling party has only 11% support in Tbilisi
Rezonansi reports that the main outcome of the suspended opposition street rallies has been that the number of the Government supporters has significantly reduced. According to polls 25% of Tbilisi citizens supported the National Movement in 2008 but only 11% do so now.
A poll conducted by the Sociological Research and Analysis Institute in July shows that half Tbilisi’s inhabitants support the non-Parliamentary opposition. However Tbilisi is not necessarily indicative of the country as a whole, and the same poll gives the ruling party a rating of 40% in Georgia as a whole, better than that of any other party.
Analyst Iago Kachkachishvili states that “The Government can overcome the difficulties caused by last August’s events and the opposition protests. Georgians have seen that street rallies will lead to no significant outcome, and that is why the opposition should find some other way to compromise the Government. First of all they must do their best to change the electoral environment.”
The opposition’s demands during the demonstrations were the President’s resignation and the holding of snap elections.
Saakashvili called upon to explain his decision
Sakartvelos Respublika reports that opposition member Jondi Baghaturia, has asked President Saakashvili in a special letter why he gave a 12mln GEL property to Nino Burjanadze. Baghaturia says that the President has received the letter and he is therefore waiting for a response.
“Mister President, it is well known to you that thousands of refugees have no home or shelter and more than 900,000 Georgian citizens live in extremely bad economic conditions. In spite of this you gave a 12 million GEL property to the former Parliament Speaker Nino Burjanadze. Please inform us what led you to make this decision,’ the letter states.
Baghaturia says that the President must answer to him and Georgia citizens concerning this matter. He is demanding the creation of a special investigative committee to monitor the President’s activities.
Sozar Subari should represent the 2008 report, opposition say
Sakartvelos Respublika reports that the opposition parties have demanded that outgoing Public Defender Sozar Subari present the report of events in the second half of 2008 at the end of his term of office.
Member of the Parliamentary minority Dimitry Lortkipanidze said: “Sozar Subari should present the 2008 report as he knows what went on during that period. I have heard that Giorgi Tughushi is scheduled to present the report of last year’s events, but this is not right, as Tughushi will only take up his post on September 17 and should therefore only present reports in 2009 issues. Subari is still the Public Defender and Georgian society is waiting for his report on the August war,” said Lortkipanidze at a plenary session of Parliament.
Rezonansi reports that the main outcome of the suspended opposition street rallies has been that the number of the Government supporters has significantly reduced. According to polls 25% of Tbilisi citizens supported the National Movement in 2008 but only 11% do so now.
A poll conducted by the Sociological Research and Analysis Institute in July shows that half Tbilisi’s inhabitants support the non-Parliamentary opposition. However Tbilisi is not necessarily indicative of the country as a whole, and the same poll gives the ruling party a rating of 40% in Georgia as a whole, better than that of any other party.
Analyst Iago Kachkachishvili states that “The Government can overcome the difficulties caused by last August’s events and the opposition protests. Georgians have seen that street rallies will lead to no significant outcome, and that is why the opposition should find some other way to compromise the Government. First of all they must do their best to change the electoral environment.”
The opposition’s demands during the demonstrations were the President’s resignation and the holding of snap elections.
Saakashvili called upon to explain his decision
Sakartvelos Respublika reports that opposition member Jondi Baghaturia, has asked President Saakashvili in a special letter why he gave a 12mln GEL property to Nino Burjanadze. Baghaturia says that the President has received the letter and he is therefore waiting for a response.
“Mister President, it is well known to you that thousands of refugees have no home or shelter and more than 900,000 Georgian citizens live in extremely bad economic conditions. In spite of this you gave a 12 million GEL property to the former Parliament Speaker Nino Burjanadze. Please inform us what led you to make this decision,’ the letter states.
Baghaturia says that the President must answer to him and Georgia citizens concerning this matter. He is demanding the creation of a special investigative committee to monitor the President’s activities.
Sozar Subari should represent the 2008 report, opposition say
Sakartvelos Respublika reports that the opposition parties have demanded that outgoing Public Defender Sozar Subari present the report of events in the second half of 2008 at the end of his term of office.
Member of the Parliamentary minority Dimitry Lortkipanidze said: “Sozar Subari should present the 2008 report as he knows what went on during that period. I have heard that Giorgi Tughushi is scheduled to present the report of last year’s events, but this is not right, as Tughushi will only take up his post on September 17 and should therefore only present reports in 2009 issues. Subari is still the Public Defender and Georgian society is waiting for his report on the August war,” said Lortkipanidze at a plenary session of Parliament.