Georgian Parliament to have fewer MPs of Armenian descent (video)
Parliamentary elections are scheduled in Georgia for Oct. 8. Haykazun Alvrtsyan, an expert in Georgian studies, says Georgian Armenians should not pin great hopes on the elections though two dozens of Armenians are reportedly included in different alliances. “Armenians have never formed a majority in the Georgian Parliament, and never has the Georgian legislature made a decision in favour of Armenians,” he said. Mr. Alvrtsyan thinks at least eight parties can be represented in the Georgian Parliament after the Saturday elections but the “Georgian Dream "and" United National Movement” have the greatest chances. The specialist sees intrigue in these elections as an unprecedented thing happened in Georgia in 2012 when the country’s authorities were changed after the elections. He wonders whether the ruling party will try to retain its power through fair elections. “Obviously, [Bidzina] Ivanishvili did not fulfill the hopes of Georgian voters to the extent that he was expected to. Nothing changed in the Armenian-populated settlements either. Ivanishvili did not keep the promises he had given to local Armenians,” he said. Political analyst Hrant Mikaelyan added that there would be fewer Armenian MPs in the parliament as a result of the new regional divisions.
