Pre-election promises: old and new

One can feel the approaching elections by watching the weighted scales of the promises given by the various parties: it is simply part of the game. The pre-election promises increase in amount and size as the elections creep closer. However, later they will mostly forget the promises they made and those to whom they made the promise. Those who give promises are one in the same: If they lose the election, they can always explain that the ruling party did not allow us to do anything. And if they win, they can do whatever they want. However, it looks like this time things will be different. The current administration has been in office almost nine-years and therefore it owes to the population a lot.

Nasty journalists keep reminding them about the promises they made during the parliamentary elections of 2008. There were some absurd promises made. One example is the promise that Georgia would join NATO and win the return of the breakaway regions of Georgia. Of course most of the promises– if not all of them, were not fulfilled and in some cases the situation became even worse. Four-years later, the government still gives promises–raising retiree’s pensions to hundred dollars; yet the restoration of Georgia’s territorial integrity has become even worse. Georgia’s integration into NATO is also rather vague.

So what is the ruling party going promise this time? Analysts think that the current voter who possesses just a little bit of common sense will first remember the old unfulfilled promises. Keeping this fact in mind, going forward they will realize that not many promises have been fulfilled, so they will look at the current promises with deep skepticism. However, most people in the electorate do not think much; they have a very short memory. They could be satisfied by today’s promises instead of the unfulfilled ones. In addition, the ruling administration always uses demagogical arguments like ‘works,’ the ‘economic crisis’ and ‘August War.’ Current promises are reinforced by small time gestures, including a pre-election increase of pensions, free health insurance policies and some assistance to those whose property was damaged during the current rainstorm and so on.

As for the Georgian Dream, it has left no unfulfilled promises behind. Those with longer memories will recall the positive activities conducted by Bidzina Ivanishvili. This includes restored churches, reconstructed theatres, two rugby stadiums, assistance of Georgian army and police, the construction of military bases, allowances for the people of art and culture. Georgian people are full of emotions and impulse, so their mood changes accordingly.