GEORGIA: Opposition and ruling party supporters break into physical fight on the eve of election day in Georgia

Record ID: 374694

  • Title: GEORGIA: Opposition and ruling party supporters break into physical fight on the eve of election day in Georgia
  • Date: 21st May 2008
  • Summary: (BN14) TBILISI, GEORGIA (MAY 20, 2008) (REUTERS) LAWYER EKA BESELIA AND THE UNITED OPPOSITION BLOCK MEMBER CRYING ON THE BENCH OUTSIDE THE POLLING STATION AFTER THE FIGHT WOMAN SHOWING T-SHIRT STAINED WITH BLOOD (SOUNDBITE) (Georgian) LAWYER EKA BESELIA AND THE UNITED OPPOSITION BLOCK MEMBER AFTER THE FIGHT, SAYING: "They were insulting us, used physical force, wounded tw
  • Embargoed: 5th June 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Georgia
  • Country: Georgia
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAD7RJ9YYHI2OUCL9V4CYSEOMX4
  • Story Text: Opposition and ruling party supporters had a bloody fist-fight on Tuesday (May 20) on the eve of parliamentary elections.
    The fight started in one of the polling stations between polarized party members and quickly grew into a crowd which fought for more than 40 minutes.
    Witnesses said the police were called, but did not arrive in time to stop the violence.
    Two members of the United Opposition bloc were wounded.
    One of the leaders of the Opposition bloc said, "They were insulting us, used physical force, wounded two members of our headquarters.
    Their condition is very serious," said lawyer Eka Beselia.
    The West will closely watch the election for signs the NATO aspirant Georgia is committed to democracy, four months after leader Mikheil Saakashvili won a presidential vote which was described as flawed.
    Three political blocs and nine parties as well as thousands of individual candidates will compete for 150 seats in a new legislature which will have a five-year term.
    About 3.5 million eligible voters are expected to participate in the election throughout the country but no election will be held in Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions.
    Georgia's ruling party, United National Movement, led by President Mikheil Saakashvili, who promises to revive the economy, put an end to corruption, turn Georgia into Western-style democracy and join NATO and the EU will compete for the majority in the new parliament.
    NATO's European members questioned Saakashvili's democratic credentials after he sent riot police to crush anti-government demonstrators last November, but he promised his countrymen and Western allies in a televised speech to hold a "model" election.
    In January's presidential election -- which Saakashvili won with more than 52 percent -- the head of the Western observation mission described the vote as flawed though an accurate representation of the will of the people.
    But the opposition said the presidential election had been rigged and was unfair -- allegations it has since repeated.
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