Number of presidential hopefuls increases in Georgia
By Nazrin Gadimova
Number of people willing to run for presidency has increased to 23 in Georgia, the Central Election Commission of Georgia (CEC) reported.
According to the Georgian CEC, 11 more candidates were added to those 12, who have already made an application for participation in the presidential campaign.
The new candidatures include Gia Chkhikvadze, Levan Chachua, Merab Suliashvili, Besik Adamia, Avtandil Margiani, Avtandil Pilauri, Avtandil Ioseliani, Mamuka Melikishvili, Nugzar Avaliani, Teimuraz Bobokhidze and Asmat Machavariani.
Earlier the Georgian CEC registered the candidacies of 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.
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. According to the constitution, Saakashvili cannot run for a third consecutive term.
Upon the inauguration of a new president in 2013, a series of constitutional amendments passed in the parliament of Georgia from 2010 to 2013 will go into effect. The amendments envisage significant reduction of the President's powers in favor of the Prime Minister.