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On the right track, says Saakashvili

TBILISI (Georgia): Mikhail Saakashvili, re-elected Georgia’s President, said on Monday the vote demonstrated his ex-Soviet republic is on the road to becoming a European democracy.

“I believe there are many aspects that need to be criticised, this is still a country in transition, this is still not a full-fledged, very well-formed, crystalised society, we still have lots of things to do,” said Mr. Saakashvili in an interview with the Associated Press.

“But I think we are on the right track and this election has just proven that.”

But the election, in which Mr. Saakashvili received 52.8 per cent of the vote according to preliminary results, received a mixed evaluation from international observers who said it was overall in accordance with democratic standards, but showed an array of problems that need to be addressed urgently.

Russia, which vies with the West for influence in Georgia, took a stronger stance, calling the election campaign “hardly free or fair.” Mr. Saakashvili’s opponents allege the election was widely rigged and say they will bring masses of protesters to the streets to press their objections. — AP

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