Interview with Presidential candidate Nino Burjanadze

“Compared to the times of National Movement, election environment is much healthier,” this is how a Presidential candidate Nino Burjanadze began her interview.
Nino Burjanadze: - Inequality is created by the fact that only our party and I aren’t financed by the state. Unlike Georgian Dream, which in parallel to huge financial resources even took the credit, we held election campaign thanks to donations. No bank gave us a credit. Declarations of authorities’ representatives that by all means everything will be finished in the first round and their representative will win by high margin are also creating hindrances. After the Ivanishvili’s last meeting with the press representatives, his declaration that Margvelashvili would get over 60% of votes was taken as an instruction by representatives of several local authorities and they declared to people at the meeting that in case Margvelashvili received less than 60% of votes, they would be fired.
Q. – As Ivanishvili declared, if the second round proves to the reality, he would advise Margvelashvili not to participate; later Giorgi Margvelashvili repeated the same. How would you comment these declarations?
A. – It’s an unprecedented declaration, probably having no analogy in the whole world. I’m not afraid of either the first or second round. If the election environment were absolutely free I’d have a big chance to win the first round but the second round will by all means be mine.
Q. – Results of the sociological survey say something else. By the way, Bidzina Ivanishvili reminded you that according to these results Davit Bakradze of the Nationals is the runner-up.
A. – Last year’s election has demonstrated that ratings do not correspond to reality. Why does he trust them now? Davit Bakradze won’t even come close to me.
Q. – Why did you refuse to participate in debates?
A. – I refused to participate in the farce. I wasn’t allowed to the a part of debates in which Margvelashvili, Bakradze, Targamadze and Kharatishvili participated. I challenged Margvelashvili more than once and am proposing the same now but he’s afraid. I know that elections are won by me. I met hundreds of thousands of voters and I see their mood. I promise to protect their votes and let nobody try to rig the elections.
Q. – According to the spread information, during the first two weeks of October your party got GEL 400.000 donation out of which your personal share was 60.000.
A. – So what? Who was amazed that Nino Burjanadze had GEL 60.000 that she donated to her presidential campaign? As for GEL 400.000, several hundred people donated it to the party.