Saakashvili Calls Snap Presidential Elections, Referendum

President Saakashvili said he was planning snap presidential elections for January 5 in an attempt to gain Georgians “unequivocal mandate” in his drive “to tackle foreign threats.”

Speaking in his live televised address in the evening on November 8 – a day after imposing emergency rules in the country, Saakashvili said he was also proposing to hold a referendum in parallel to snap presidential elections about when to hold parliamentary polls – in spring as pushed for by the opposition parties, or in late 2008

“We have been pushed recently to hold parliamentary elections in spring, which is totally unacceptable,” he said. “So I have a proposal and I have decided to hold presidential elections on January 5, 2008, [the decision] to hold elections now without any delays, because, as a leader of this country, I need your unequivocal mandate to tackle all the foreign threats, to tackle all types of pressure on Georgia, to tackle attempts of annexation of Georgia’s territories, to tackle plans directed towards destabilizing of Georgia.”

“So I have a proposal to let you judge about trust towards me and to receive your particular support to continue the country’s further strengthening and to show the entire world that the Georgian people keep unity despite attempts to destabilize us.

While addressing the opposition, Saakashvili said: “Did you demand early polls? You have received even earlier elections. Did you knocked on the door of democracy? It is open, because I, as the President of the country, am a guarantor that this door will never be closed.”

The authorities’ response to the opposition’s demand to hold parliamentary elections was a claim that they did not want the polls in Georgia to coincide with the presidential elections in Russia planned for March next year. The supposed rationale was that there was “a serious risk” that Russia could manipulate the Georgian elections, or even “stage serious provocations” in Georgia for internal Russian consumption on the eve of its presidential elections.

“These [snap] elections will, however, be held in a schedule proposed by us and not by our ill-wishers,” Saakashvili said. “So these elections will give us an advantage ahead of elections in Russia.”

He also pointed out that this was his “a compromise” in a standoff with the opposition. “I am giving the opposition the chance to really become the people's choice if you really deserve this,” Saakashvili said.

In a response to the opposition’s criticism about his “undemocratic” and “authoritarian-style,” Saakashvili said that he has already shortened his term in office for the second time already.

Presidential and parliamentary elections, in line with last December's constitutional amendment, were scheduled simultaneously sometime between October and December 2008. The amendment has prolonged the term of the sitting Parliament for several months and decreased Saakashvili’s term in office by several months.

“There is no other precedent of this type [decreasing president’s term in office] in our region, as well as in many country of the world,” he said. “I am doing once more just to underline the fact that there is nothing more important then to demonstrate to the entire world that Georgia is a strong democracy. - Source: Civil.ge