13:34, 3 November 2003

Government-backed bloc "For New Georgia" is in the lead in parliamentary election

On the night of November 3, Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairwoman Nana Devdariani told a press conference the first results of the election in several dozens of 2,811 election stations of the republic.

According to them, the government-backed bloc "For New Georgia" is in the lead in the parliamentary election held on Sunday. It won 37.9% of the vote. "Saakashvili - National Movement" bloc won 17.2% of the vote, the Labor Party - 15.1%, "Burdjanadze - Democrats" - 8.3%.

Nana Devdariani stressed it was "early to speak about the leadership as the end of the poll was still a long way off."

The CEC Chairwoman said the referendum on cutting down the deputy corps from 235 to 150 parliamentarians, which had been held simultaneously with the election, considered to be taken place since over 50% of the vote had taken part in the election.

Source: Interfax News Agency