Georgian former Defense Minister: “Both the authorities and the opposition are afraid of me”

Interview by Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

The Central Election Committee of Georgia has annulled the registration of the former Defense Minister, Interior Minister and General Prosecutor Irakly Okruashvili as a candidate for the mayor of Gori. The regional election committee accepted his registration, even though the formerly powerful official didn’t meet the requirements of the Election Code. For example, he only returned to the country in November 2012, but the law requires that a candidate should live in the country at least for two years ahead of the elections.

The story about Okruashvili’s self-nomination, registration, and subsequent cancelation of the decisions make us conclude: “Furious Irakly”, as he is called in Georgia, not only intends to return to politics, but also has good chances to be involved into the big political game in Georgia.

The canceled registration doesn’t mean that Okruashvili cannot take part in the mayor’s elections: he has already appealed against the CEC decision. His interests are protected by the most experienced and powerful lawyers. Their strategy relies on the fact that the law says: “a candidate should live in Georgia for two years ahead of the elections,” but it doesn’t specify whether it means a calendar year, i.e. 365 days. “Irakly came back to Georgia in 2012. Today 2014 is. If the CEC thinks that two calendar years are meant by the law, it means any person who lives the country for at least two weeks has no right to take part in the elections,” one of lawyers, Zviad Kordzadze, says.

The candidate himself is full of optimism. He has reached the main goal – he has made people talk about him as an important political figure. Moreover, the scandalous cancelation which followed the scandalous registration may be beneficial for Okruashvili. He accuses the authorities and the ruling coalition Georgian Dream and the opposition in face of Mikhail Saakashvili’s United National Movement of a secret deal against him, and he believes he is “the most dangerous rival for them.”

Moreover, Okruashvili is sure that the norm on two-year staying in Georgia has been launched to prevent his participation in the elections. “Of course, first of all the Georgian Dream is responsible, as I have no questions to “the Nationals” – they are afraid of me absolutely fairly,” Okruashvili says. “But it appears the Dream is afraid of me as well, as it uses methods of the former president Saakashvili against me.”

The expert society of Georgia has no common view on electoral chances of the outrageous politician. The majority thinks that it would be difficult for him to gain popularity. However, there are different views. “Everything depends on the situation in the country,” Nika Imnaishvili, political scientist, considers. “In case of destabilization, such a politician as Okruashvili could advance. Moreover, Gori is his native town where is thought to be a strong person.”