12:44, 8 May 2008

Georgian oppositionist blames governor of Kvemo-Kartli for bribing and intimidating voters

Kakhaber Shartava, one of the leaders of the United Opposition and leader of the National Forum Party, has accused the governor of the Kvemo-Kartli District of bribing and intimidating local voters. The governor rejects the accusations.

Mr Shartava has stated today in a briefing held in the city of Rustavi near the building of the District Administration of Kvemo-Kartli that "the fight against fair elections goes on, and it is commanded right from this building by the city administration and Kvemo-Kartli leaders."

"People are summoned to the municipality and promised to give jobs this autumn. Only now, they've remembered about the existence of schools and kindergartens, and on the eve of elections the governor had presented them with TV-sets. Workers of schools and kindergartens, same as of other state-run institutions, receive threats that should they fail to win at least 3500 votes in favour of the authorities at each polling station, all of them will be dismissed, and should they win more votes, they will be sent to Antalia (Turkey) to have their holiday," Kakhaber Shartava told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Author: Edita Badasian, CK correspondent