Zurabishvili's New Election Billboards Show Ivanishvili

The new election posters and banners of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) backed candidate, Salome Zurabishvili, show Founder and Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili, with the new slogan:”Principal Choice: freedom, development and dignity.”

Zurabishvili's new billboards have recieved criticism from the opposition parties, whose candidate Grigol Vashadze is Zurabishvili's opponent at the November 28 runoff.

Nika Melia, the Chairman of the United National Movement’s political council, says that disappearance of Salome Zurabishvili from the billboard and putting a photo of Bidzina Ivanishvili instead aims at raising ratings.

“Ivanishvili thinks society still trusts him and told the staff of the headquarters to make billboards of him and write on it - freedom, development and dignity. Where is freedom, or dignity, or development?" Melia stressed.

In addition, some non-governmental organizations stated the replacement of the female candidate photos by male ones underlines that “a woman cannot succeed without the help of a man.”

The NGOs also spoke about the possible violations, in case the party spent funds on new election billboards.

The Minister of Health, Davit Sergeenko, also commented on the new billboards, saying that apart from new banners, Salome Zurabishvili’s picture is on many billboards.

"I saw Salome Zurabishvili's billboards on my way here. Bidzina Ivanishvili is a Georgian citizen and can express his opinion," Sergeenko said.

Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze said the GD openly supports Zurabishvili and there is nothing strange if the party chair is on election posters.

After Ivanishvili, some billboards also depicted the Parliament Speaker, Irakli Kobakhidze, who is the Head of Zurabishvili’s election headquarters.

The GD explained, saying Georgian Dream leaders are the part of the new strategy of the ruling party.

“Placement of banners with the photos of party chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili and other political leaders of the Georgian Dream party is the part of the new party strategy. Campaign billboards and slogan of independent presidential candidate Salome Zurabishvili were also renewed within the frameworks of the second round campaign,” the party said.

By Thea Morrison