DUSHANBE, January 8, Asia-Plus — “The results of January 5 presidential elections in Georgia were predictable under conditions of state supremacy over this political event,” Rahmatillo Zoirov, head of the Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT), said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
However, “there were elements of democracy” during the election, according to him.
“It is strange that other candidates proved to be weak,” said Zoirov, “They gave initiative fully to the government institutions, although opposition forces are quite developed and active.”
“Despite shortcomings, presidential elections in Georgia considerably differ from those that were recently held in Uzbekistan,” Zoirov said.
“We will not see really democratic elections within the CIS area, until serious multi-party system (two or three political parties that would be equal to each other in strength) and civil society are formed,” the SDPT leader stressed.
The preliminary official results suggest the incumbent president, Mikhail Saakashvili, has been re-elected president of Georgia after a snap poll. The election commission said he won 52.8% of the vote, with most ballots counted – indicating he will not have to contest a second-round run-off.
The opposition has already alleged the vote was rigged and mounted protests in the capital, Tbilisi.
But monitors from the OSCE and Council of Europe said the vote was democratic and the outcome should be respected.
