The Messenger #144 (1411) - Opposition politicians hopeful on election reform after meeting with US official

Tuesday, July 31, 2007, #144 (1411)

Opposition politicians hopeful on election reform after meeting with US official
By Nino Mumladze

On his two-day working visit to Georgia last week, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza kept with tradition by meeting with political opposition leaders as well as with government officials.

The upcoming elections, human and property rights and the frozen conflicts-the discussed issues were also of the traditional sort. The major focus was on elections.

"Being pretty well-aware of Georgia's political situation, the US official listened to our concerns and said the US government would talk with our government specifically about elections," said Conservative Party MP Kakha Kukava, speaking to the Messenger about the meeting with Bryza.

According to Kukava, representatives of the Republicans, Conservatives, Industrialists and New Rights expressed their objection to the current election laws, charging that they "fail to provide fair and equal competition terms" for the 2008 parliamentary elections.

The MP argued that two major changes are needed for fair and equal elections, in a move away from a "winner takes all" electoral system: redoing the rules on who gets to be on election commissions, and reforming the majoritarian election system.

Of all the nation's pressing concerns, Kukava said, most important is the need to conduct democratic elections in 2008, as the rest of the problems are chained to that one. He expressed hope that getting the US government involved will guarantee an election more to the opposition's liking.

"Despite the government's habitual negligence in listening to the OSCE or European Council, we are hopeful that Saakashvili's group cannot do the same when it comes to US recommendations," Kukava said.

Bryza also reportedly promised the opposition that his government would bring up the case of Irakli Batiashvili, serving seven years in jail for providing "intellectual support" to rebel warlord Emzar Kvitsiani during an uprising last summer in the Kodori Gorge.

Republican Party MP Ivliane Khaindrava told media they had briefed the US official on Batiashvili, leader of the opposition movement Forward Georgia. Many politicians and human rights NGOs charge that the case is politically motivated.

After an hour and a half of talks with Bryza, Khaindrava highlighted the essence of the US's message to Georgia: "They fully realize the numerous problems existing in this country."