Georgia's ruling coalition to hold debates with UNM
By Nazrin Gadimova
Presidential candidate from the ruling Georgian Dream coalition Giorgi Margvelashvili has agreed to the proposal of the candidate from President Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement Davit Bakradze to hold debates.
According to Margvelashvili, several candidates have expressed willingness to participate in the debates, and everyone will enjoy equal chances to voice their stance.
"The debates will be held in a format in which all candidates will be given the opportunity to express their position," he added. "Georgian Dream will comply with the common standards, because everyone has the right to express their views."
In turn, Bakradze offered Margvelashvili to hold several debates on all important issues.
Earlier, United National Movement accused Georgian Dream 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.
Georgian Dream activists reportedly threw stones and water bottles at the UNM members who arrived in the city in connection with the primaries being conducted to determine the presidential candidate to stand in the upcoming elections. As a result of the incident 12 people were detained on charges of disorderly conduct.
Bakradze confidently surpassed all of his rivals in the primaries held by UNM on July 28.
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 25 candidates for presidency.