Azernews.Az

By Nazrin Gadimova

Georgia's Interior Minister Irakli Garibashvili has made a special address to the participants of the presidential election to be held in October 2013.

According to the minister's address, the Georgian government has repeatedly promised to do its best during preparations for the elections.

"Since aggressive and violent acts by different public groups against certain political subjects are observed, we ask for formal and advanced notification about planned public events as part of the pre-election campaign, so the Ministry of Internal Affairs would take preventive measures for preventing possible stand-off and providing security of those events," the statement reads.

Georgia's Interior Ministry called for refraining from any provocative actions which "could escalate further the aggressive background" during the election campaign.

"We also call on the population to express their own opinion and position in peaceful and non-violent form during the pre-election campaign. Otherwise, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will have to act in accordance with the law and counter the offenses with police force," the address said.

Earlier, President Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement accused the ruling Georgian Dream coalition of organizing riots in connection with the incident, which occurred during the internal party elections of the UNM in Zugdidi, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region of Georgia, on July 20.

The activists of Georgian Dream reportedly threw stones and water bottles at the UNM members who arrived in the city in connection with the primaries, which are being conducted to determine the presidential candidate at the upcoming elections. As a result of the incident 12 people were detained on charges of disorderly conduct.

In turn, chairman of the parliamentary committee on human rights, member of the Georgian Dream Eka Beselia called the accusations of the United National Movement in the riots "an impudent lie", local media reported.

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.

Georgia's Central Election Commission has already registered 23 candidates for presidency.