Growing Tensions with Russia Surround Parliamentary Vote in Georgia
By Daniel Hollingsworth
May 21, 2008 | Printer Friendly

Exit polls from a Wednesday, May 21 parliamentary vote in Georgia predict a resounding win for the party of President Mikhail Saakashvili.  BBC reports that the United National Movement received 63% of the vote, with the United Opposition Council a distant second at 14%.  The opposition has already claimed that the vote was rigged, and the “election day was marred by incidents of violence in or near the breakaway region of Abkhazia.”   

Conflict between Georgia and Russia in recent weeks framed the election as a test of Saakashvili’s pro-Western stance.  AFP writes, “Tensions between Moscow and Tbilisi soared ahead of the election, with Saakashvili saying earlier this month that the two countries had come close to war, and Russia sending extra troops to Abkhazia.”  The shooting down of an unmanned Georgian reconnaissance plane over Abkhazia, purportedly by Russian forces, brought the countries to the brink of war in late April.

The regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia have long been flashpoints of tension with Russia, as Russia has maintained troops in both regions despite their nominal status as Georgian territories.  Voice of America writes that “Ostensibly, [the troops] are there as peacekeepers. But Tbilisi says their presence only heightens separatist leanings there - a charge rejected by Russia.”  Saakahsvili has made NATO membership for Georgia a central goal of his government, adding to the animosity with Russia.  According to Reuters, newly-inaugurated Russian president Dmitri Medvedev is considering a request from Georgia for the two leaders to meet in early June to seek to resolve the simmering dispute. 

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) sent 550 election observers to Georgia, and they are expected to announce their evaluation on Thursday, May 22.  “Georgia's opposition has already called its supporters to take the the streets Wednesday night. Opposition leader Levan Gachechiladze told AFP he would call on supporters to force their way into the electoral commission office if authorities ‘do not release the real results of the vote.’”

References:

BBC News: Georgian poll ‘result’ disputed

AFP: Georgia votes in tense parliamentary polls

VOA News: Georgia-Russia Tensions Continue to Simmer

Reuters: Russia says mulling meeting with Georgian leader