Georgia parliamentary elections not free or fair, MP says

PanARMENIAN.Net - Georgian parliamentary winner Bidzina Ivanishvili’s troubling remark about Armenians came as a result of political inexperience, according to Javakhk political union chair, MP Shirak Torosyan.

Earlier, in an interview to Russian magazine New Times, Ivanishvili wondered why ethnic Armenians lived in Georgia when “their own homeland is next door.” Mr. Ivanishvili then released a statement saying he had been quoted out of context and meant to praise the “special gift of the Armenians and the Jews to be citizens of the world and succeed everywhere they live.”

Commenting on parliamentary polls in Georgia, Mr. Torosyan noted that according to Javakhk sources, a number of frauds were reported.

“Georgia saw a civilized transfer of power; nevertheless, the elections can’t be called free and fair,” the MP said.