Categories
Journalistic Survey
Articles
Reportage
Analitic
Photo Reportage
Exclusive
Interview
Foreign Media about Georgia
Editorial
Position
Reader's opinion
Blog
Themes
Children's Rights
Women's Rights
Justice
Refugees/IDPs
Minorities
Media
Army
Health
Corruption
Elections
Education
Penitentiary
Religion
Others

Western Print Media Criticize Georgian Elections

May 23, 2008

Printed media of the western countries published long articles about the Georgian Parliamentary Elections.

According to the “New-York Times” after the elections Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili strengthened his positions because the opposition parties that entered the new parliament will now be unable to oppose the centralized government and its authority.

The New York Times reported that “National Hero” Mikhail Saakashvili has recently lost the confidence of the Georgian People. However, in spite of this, the nation has given him a second and final change to redeem himself.

The German Newspaper “Velt” reported that results of the elections look perfect from outside. However, up-close and from a local perspective, the process was carried out with serious violations.

Reporters of the edition stated the increase in the president’s power established “democracy that is governed” in Georgia and the Elections of May 21st confirmed the situation once again. 

Austrian edition “Standard” calls Georgian elections a staged performance with one actor and further stated that in fact Georgians was making decision on the mandate of Mikhail Saakashvili. Consequently, he took an even more active part in the pre-election campaign because of that standing.

Furthermore, according to the Standard, in order to restore the governmental balance it would have been better if National Movement and opposition had equal number of single mandates in the elected parliament.

French edition “Liberasion” stated Georgian voters have lost trust to election system and neither the authority nor opposition managed to restore any degree of trust among the voters.

British “Economist” claimed that elections failed to establish an opposition to Mikhail Saakashvili, which is attributed how the opposition parties went about and focused on criticizing of the president and could not offer a proper election program to the voters as an alternative.

Source: Medianews
 

News