Georgian CEC registered two candidates from rival parties
By Nazrin Gadimova
Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili officially presented presidential candidate of the ruling Georgian Dream coalition Giorgi Margvelashvili in Nokalakevi (Western Georgia) on August 12.
"We are preparing for the victory," Ivanishvili said. "We present a worthy representative of our society and the leader of a European-style as the candidate for the presidency."
Prime Minister described Margvelashvili as a talented, independent, bold and direct intellectual who will win in free and fair elections.
Earlier Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) has registered Davit Bakradze as the presidential candidate of the United National Movement, which is in a minority in the Georgian parliament.
Number of candidates for presidency who appealed to the Georgian CEC for registration has already reached 34. The CEC also has rejected three presidential candidates - Avtandil Pilauri, George Gahokiya and Tariel Khvedelidze in the registration.
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.