Georgia's President concedes poll defeat

Wednesday 3 October 2012

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili conceded his ruling party has lost an election to a coalition led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, increasing the chances of a peaceful transfer of power in the former Soviet republic.

triumph: Bidzina Ivanishvili's coalition was declared victor.

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Margarita Antidze and Steve Gutterman TBILISI

Mr Ivanishvili said he was confident of becoming prime minister as partial results put his six-party Georgian Dream on course to win Monday's parliamentary election.

Mr Ivanishvili's supporters streamed through Tbilisi's streets after the polls closed, waving flags and sounding car horns in celebration even though Mr Saakashvili's United National Movement had initially claimed victory.

"According to preliminary results, it is clear Georgian Dream obtained a majority in this election," Mr Saakashvili, 44, said yesterday in a televised address."This means the parliamentary majority should set up a new government, and, as president, in accordance with the constitution, I will do everything to make their work comfortable, so the parliament can choose a chairman of the parliament as well as set up a new government."The election could mark the first peaceful transfer of power between rival parties since the Caucasus country won independence when the Soviet Union broke up in 1991.Any instability in the nation of 4.5 million would worry the West because it is a conduit for Caspian Sea energy supplies to Europe and has a strategic location on the Black Sea between former Soviet master Russia and Iran, Turkey and central Asia.Mr Saakashvili will remain president until his term expires next year but governing the country could be much more difficult as he will no longer have a compliant parliament and the prime minister is likely to be his 56-year-old rival Mr Ivanishvili.The US-educated Mr Saakashvili won praise for curbing corruption and implementing economic reforms, but he led Georgia into a disastrous five-day war with Russia over two breakaway regions in 2008. Opponents say he has monopolised power, mis-treated opponents and trampled on rights and freedoms.Mr Saakashvili says the Georgian Dream coalition would move Georgia away from the West and back into Moscow's orbit, and has suggested Mr Ivanishvili is doing the bidding of the Kremlin after making his money in Russia.Mr Ivanishvili denies this and accuses Mr Saakashvili of raising the spectre of Russia to avoid addressing internal problems."My political plan is very simple," Mr Ivanishvili said. "When our victory is officially confirmed, I hope ... parliament will approve me as prime minister."Under reforms that take effect after a presidential election next year, the prime minister will become the most powerful executive official. Mr Ivanishvili, who has little experience in politics after giving up his business career only a year ago, set out plans he would pursue as prime minister, saying a balanced budget would be a priority.He said Georgian Dream might split up into as many as three factions in parliament but that "we all have a common vision on all the main issues".Georgian Dream's strong showing was an indictment of Mr Saakashvili, who was first elected in 2004 after the Rose Revolution."I expected this result. Justice has finally been restored," I believe that Bidzina will make our lives better," said Nino Kantaria, 42, walking on Freedom Square in Tbilisi. "This is not a time for protests, it is a time for celebration."

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Georgia's President concedes poll defeat

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