Azernews.Az

By Nazrin Gadimova

Georgia's Former Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili, who plans to join the presidential elections in Georgia, is ready to renounce dual citizenship, if she wins the presidential election.

"It is necessary for Georgia to move from post-totalitarian regime to democracy and the October elections will be crucial in this process, she believes.

Accordfging to Zourabichvili, if Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili leaves politics after the presidential elections, early parliamentary elections will be inevitable.

The 2013 presidential election in Georgia is scheduled for October. This will be the 6th presidential election after the country's declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The last one, held on January 5, 2008, resulted in the election of Mikheil Saakashvili for his second and final presidential term.

Georgia's Central Election Commission has already registered the first twelve candidates for presidency. These seven candidates are Mikheil Saluashvili, Tariel Khvedelidze, Nestan Kirtadze, Giorgi Gakhokia, Shalva Natelashvili, Mamuka Chokhonelidze, Nikoloz Gorgijanidze, Giorgi Targamadze, Sergo Javakhidze, Giorgi Chikhladze, Merab Gorgadze and Giorgi Liluashvili.

Salome Zourabichvili is a French-born Georgian politician, Georgian Foreign Minister and a former diplomat in the French service from 2004 to 2005. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili appointed her as Foreign Minister in his new government in 2004, but she was sacked by Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli after a series of disputes with members of Parliament in October, 2005. She had also been heavily criticized by a number of Georgian ambassadors.

In January 2006 she established new political party Georgia's Way in Tbilisi.

In addition to the Georgian citizenship, Zourabichvili also has a French citizenship.