07:04, 4 September 2013

CEC refuses to register former Georgian Foreign Minister as presidential candidate

Salome Zurabishvili. Photo: George Mel, http://www.flickr.com/photos/gaeser

The Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) has refused to register Salome Zurabishvili, ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs and the honorary chair of the "Georgia's Way" Party, as a presidential candidate. The CEC explains its decision by the fact that apart from Georgian citizenship, Salome Zurabishvili has citizenship of another country: she is a citizen of Georgia and France.

At a special press briefing held on September 3, Salome Zurabishvili treated the CEC's decision as groundless and announced her intention to challenge it at the court, the "Gazeta.Ru" reports.

"This decision is obviously totally unfair and unlawful. Tomorrow morning, we will file a complaint to the court and will await the obedience to the law by the court... According to the Constitution, I have the right (to take part in the election)," the "News-Georgia" quotes Salome Zurabishvili as saying.

Salome Zurabishvili has stated that she will waive her French citizenship only in the case she is elected to be the president, since the law does not impose such requirements to a presidential candidate," the "Georgia-Online" reports.

Author: Inna Kukudzhanova

Source: CK correspondent