The head of the Assembly of Tbilisi Armenians Arnold Stepanian thinks that it is the first time that there will be no big difference between the votes of presidential candidates. Presidential elections in Georgia will be held on October 27. The Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili is confident that Giorgi Margvelashvili representing the ruling party “Georgian Dream” does not have a real opponent. Still a month ago, according to the social surveys, Margvelashvilii’s rating was over 50 percent. A persistent struggle was going on for the second place between President Mikheil Saakashvili’s fellow, former speaker of parliament David Bakradze and Nino Burjanadze, who was also a speaker of parliament in 2001-2008, before Bakradze.
Aravot asked the head of the Assembly of Tbilisi Armenians, Chairman of “Multinational Georgia” civil movement Arnold Stepanian civic movement to describe the pre-election situation in Georgia, and the campaign held by main candidate regarding the issues of ethnic minorities. Our interlocutor said that three parties are paying attention to this issue and are working with ethnic minorities: Bidzina Ivanishvili’s “Georgian Dream”, Mikheil Saakashvili’s “United National Movement” and Nino Burjanadze’s “Democratic Movement”. He noted that it is the first time that all three main parties visited the places where ethnic minorities are inhabited, and not the pocket opposition, in other words, the main competitors value the issue of ethnic minorities, and a free atmosphere is established in the campaign for their participation.
In response to our question whether Georgia’s Armenian community has already decided in favor of which presidential candidate to vote, Arnold Stepanian said that it is hard to give a definite answer. “The parties are not so actively disseminating their platform in the regions in Armenian language, especially in Javakheti. And in Tbilisi, in my opinion, the votes of the Armenian community will split, because about 60 percent of Tbilisi Armenians are led by social problems, they are less interested in the platforms of the candidates regarding the ethnic minorities. The other part will vote in favor of the “Georgian Dream”, another part in favor of Burjanadze. In other words, each of the three political parties have their supporters among the Armenian electorates. It is too early to speak about percentage ratio, but I think that there will not be huge differences between the numbers of votes. There is more interesting situation in Javakheti. In order to enjoy the trust of the population, here, in addition to social issues, the candidates should pay attention to the national-cultural issues. To this respect, both, the authorities and the opposition conduct actions.”
Arnold Stepanian predicts that it is the first time that there will be no big difference between the votes of presidential candidates.
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At the press conference, on October 15, N. Burjanadze stated that she knows how to regulate the relations with Russia, and she has that much will to do it. We asked Arnold Stepanian whether the dynamics of positive changes in Russian-Georgian relations will be continued as a result of the upcoming elections, our interlocutor first of all reminded that the complications in Russian-Georgian relations are so deep that it was not possible to regulate them in a few months, if there are no serious compromises. “No one of the parties is ready for seriously compromises, currently the processes of approaching each other, and examining the attitudes as to which side and how much is ready to concede are underway. On the other hand, the RF is putting forward a variety of topics, which will enable to enter into a “trade” in the future: the opening of a Russian market for Georgian goods, which is a constant subject of blackmail. Thus, the parties are getting ready for the “trade”, and review of attitudes, and I think that the position of the Russian side in that “trade” is stronger than of the Georgian side.”
Our interlocutor did not agree that essentially nothing has been done in the process of regulation of Russian-Georgian relations. In his opinion, the fact that the RF is opening a market for Georgian goods, is quite remarkable fact first and foremost for the farmers, the presence of Russian tourists is important for the economy of Georgia, and the fact that they spend enough money in Georgia. “But, anyway, the price is very expensive, our territories are still occupied, and displacement of columns takes place in those territories on daily base, along the whole borderline, in the villages. This is understandable, because now, it’s not about the war. Here, Burjanadze’s statement was remarkable that she is ready to regulate the Russian-Georgian relations. But if she was able to solve it, I think, she could have done some moves before the elections. And if she can solve, there would be stimulus from the Russian side, if she is the candidate who can do it, while there was no response from the Russian side. So, I am inclined to believe that it was a political speculation,” said Arnold Stepanian.
Emma GABRIELYAN
