Georgian opposition leader Bidzina Ivanishvili spent the second day after his election victory toning things down.
After a first day of bluster, he moved to soothe Western worries by stating Wednesday that he intended to make his first overseas trip as prime minister to the U.S.
He had said that Georgia’s pro-Western President Mikheil Saakashvili should step down, but he moved Wednesday to soften the statement somewhat, saying it was intended as a suggestion rather than a demand.
Despite Ivanishvili’s public commitment to seek NATO membership, there were fears that his expected instatement as prime minister might herald a move away from the West and toward Russia. He had promised during the campaign to improve relations with Russia.
They could hardly be worse. Russian leaders have refused to deal with Saakashvili since a five-day war in 2008. The two countries have no formal relations and Russian troops are still in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which most of the world considers Georgian territory.
Saakashvili has exploited anti-Russian feeling, accusing political opponents of being Russian stooges. Ivanishvili is no exception, and his acquisition of both wealth and nationality in Russia have been used against him.
Ivanishvili gained Russian citizenship due to living there when the Soviet Union fell. He gained the fortune that made him Georgia’s richest man in Russia, but his citizenship of Russia and France has been an issue.
The Georgian government stripped Ivanishvili of Georgian nationality shortly after he announced his intention to run for the opposition, saying these citizenships disqualified him. Ivanishvili has since renounced his Russian citizenship and tried to renounce his French citizenship, while applying and failing to have his Georgian citizenship reinstated.
Despite Ivanishvili’s victory, Saakashvili may still make his life difficult.
The president’s term does not end until next year. Until then the two men will have to coexist, meaning real change in Russian relations will be difficult.
The continued presence of Russian forces in the north may strengthen Saakashvili’s hand during this time, and he can also point to significant achievements in development.
But the signs aren’t all bad. Saakashvili curtailed civil liberties, but he did allow the country’s first modern peaceful transition.
Both sides’ actions have ended at least one worry ― that the country could be dragged into another “color revolution” that would derail the country for weeks or months. However acrimonious the political battles are, the democratic mechanism appears to be working.
By Paul Kerry (
paulkerry@heraldcorp.com)
