00:39, 9 January 2008

CEC of Georgia: Saakashvili has won presidential by gathering 52.2% of votes

Levan Tarkhnishvili, Chair of the Georgian CEC, has stated today that Mikhail Saakashvili has won the presidential election in Georgia.

According to his story, 52.2 percent of all the voters, who took part in the election on January 5, cast their ballots for Saakashvili, the "Interfax" reports.

We remind you that the final totals of the presidential election in Georgia are expected on January 13, after signing of the final protocol by all the CEC members.

The Georgian opposition insists that Saakashvili, who according to the CEC is the winner with a huge breakaway from other candidates, has failed to gather enough votes to win in the first round. The oppositionists assert that, according to their data, Mikhail Saakashvili gathered only 41 percent of the votes and, consequently, the second election round is required, where Levan Gachechiladze, candidate from the opposition, should also take part.