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The parliamentary elections may change the political confuguration in Georgia

The politician believes that this configuration will be different

MOSCOW, July 3 (Itar-Tass) - On Tuesday, a new prime minister and a new government will be introduced to the Georgian parliament, the Nezavisimaya Gazeta daily reported. The deputies will have a week to support him, as well as President Mikhail Saakashvili, who initiated the replacement of the government, head of the parliamentary committee for European integration David Darchiashvili told the newspaper. Political secretary of the Republican Party David Berdzenishvili noted that appointing Vano Merabishvili as prime minister Saakashvili is seeking to form a ruling tandem similar to that between Putin and Medvedev and stay in power.

President Saakashvili is going on the same path as Vladimir Putin, but “since the Georgian society is more democratic than that in Russia, he (Saakashvili) will not succeed to do it,” Berdzenishvili said.

David Berdzenishvili has been engaged in politics for a long time, in the meantime together with brother Levan he formed the Republican Party. The party is included in the opposition alliance “Georgian Dream”, which will nominate Bidzin Ivanishvili, who turned in a headache for the president, at upcoming parliamentary elections due in October. “Saakashvili is afraid about a political alternative in ‘Georgian Dream’ and its leader, this factor explains the appointment of Merabishvili, who is a close associate of the president, at the post of prime minister,” Darchiashvili said. The Georgian politician believes that Saakashvili makes a mistake, “He will not succeed to do what Putin did.” This will become obvious in October, Berdzenishvili said.

The main general elections in Georgia are not presidential elections due next year, but the parliamentary elections, which will show what configuration the Georgian authorities will have in next five years. The politician believes that this configuration will be different, referring to massive rallies, which “Georgian Dream” stages, “Many people, who want changes, met in Tbilisi and Kutaisi. Big cities will support the opposition alliance.”

Former President Eduard Shevardnadze is among those who wish the change of power. He said in an interview with the Asaval-Dasavali weekly, “Saakashvili does all to stay in power.” Shevardnadze apologized to people that “he passed the reins of power to Saakashvili in 2003.” “But there was no other way out then,” the former president noted. He also stated that he “will support billionaire and leader of the opposition coalition ‘Georgian Dream’ Bidzin Ivanishvili at forthcoming elections.” “I believe that Ivanishvili will win and will be able to launch dialogue with Russia to restore territorial integrity of Georgia,” Shevardnadze said.

Meanwhile, the supporters of the incumbent president believe that Saakashvili did not exhaust the limit of people’s trust. Deputy David Darchiashvili referred to a poll, which the US National Democratic Institute conducted. He noted that 47% of respondents came out in support of the ruling Common National Movement, which Mikhail Saakashvili leads. In reply to the question if the parliamentary elections were held tomorrow for whom you would vote ten percent of respondents answered – for the opposition “Georgian Dream”.