Who Owned Georgia English.pdf

POSTSCRIPTWhen Georgians went to the polls on October 1st, 2012to elect a new parliament, nobody expected it would result inthe defeat of President Mikheil Saakashvili’s United NationalMovement party. The party’s influence over the media, legislatureand judiciary was extensive. The country’s major televisionbroadcasters routinely smeared opposition leader, billionaireBidzina Ivanishvili and his Georgian Dream coalition. Laws werequickly passed so that the assets of Ivanishvili and those suspectedof supporting him could be seized and stiff penalties could beapplied. The UNM virtually monopolized billboard space acrossthe country, while city buses and privately owned minibus linesexclusively displayed ruling party numbers. Yet, this all was notenough to assure victory.One of the first things Ivanishvili did as Prime Ministerwas to meet with Georgian business leaders and pledge that hisgovernment would not interfere with businesses, except to providean atmosphere to welcome small and medium-sized businesses. 379He also expressed concern over “current monopolies in varioussectors” particularly, the energy and pharmaceutical sectors andpromised to institute new, “strict” anti-monopoly laws. The nextday, Wissol cut its gasoline prices by 8 tetri. 380The Ivanishvili victory also motivated people who haveproperty claims against the government to line up at theprosectuor’s office to sue to get their property back. The problemthey face now is overwhelming a court system stretched to thelimits reviewing criminal cases and petitions to reopen casesas Ivanishvili’s team moves to right the wrongs of the previousadministration.379 Bidzina Ivanishvili: no marriage between politics and business. NinoEdilashvili georgiatoday.ge http://www.georgiatoday.ge/article_details.php?id=10522 Accessed on 04/12/2012380 High expectations about low prices. Rusiko Machaidze. Democracy andFreedom Watch http://dfwatch.net/high-expectations-about-low-prices-79776Accessed on 04/12/201294