Since the two political forces – National Movement and United Democrats – unified on November 22, 2004, media’ attention towards the new ruling party has not been in the forefront and is weakened. All the while party’s activists may be glad to this situation, but in reality the “official unification” and joining does equate that all is well and the resolution of problems, No political system or pay is a perfect marriage, even within a new political structure. Party politics and in-house squabbling continue to exist, and especially in the regions of Georgia.
If in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, not-so-warm relations between followers of President Mikheil Saakashvili and Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania are not so discernible, one could see a totally different pattern in regions, where staffing of party branches is a rather complicated process.
Unlike the National Movement, which was established about three years ago and has as its platform the need to represent the interests of the people more so than it seeks to represent its own interests, the United Democrats is still an operational unit and has a base of support and organization – first of all it has a team of dedicated local staff, that remained with Zurab Zhvania and even maintained the regional organization after the collapse of the Citizens’ Union; especially the so-called difficult regions, Zhvania’s team completely controlled the situation on the ground. His main supporters in Samegrelo were Bezhan Gunava who shares common views, and elsewhere: in Samtskhe-Javakheti, especially in Akhalkalaki – Melik Raisiani, MP.
It now appears that activists of the National Movement are prevailing over members of the former United Democrats. Many of these people joined on with the National Movement, and were from regions of Georgia that had always been considered as supporters of former President Eduard Shevardnadze.
For example the right to expand membership of “party burgeoning” in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region was granted to Enzel Mkoian, single-mandate MP from Ninotsminda who is a serious opponent of Melik Raisiani and who is involved and has been incriminated in the thick of the illegal gas and cigarette business; he was even the head of Saakashvili’s electoral headquarters in this region during the run up to presidential elections.
According to the back-door information, Mkoiani’s lobbyist and entree to Saakashvili was Vano Merabishvili, now the State Security Minister. Then Merabishvili, in conversation with 24 Saati (Hours), explained Mkoiani’s rehabilitation this way: “an individual came to us and asked for assistance. How could we not help him? What if he was a single-mandate MP of the Citizens’ Union? He now is on our team and stands by us.”
MP Marina Molodini, Zhvania’s fellow party member, also has problems in Dusheti. She has gradually lost influence in the region. Moreover: in parliament she was refused membership on the committee dealing with regional policy, self-government and mountainous regions.
The establishment of party chains and networks in the regions thus starts fresh. Those who cannot find their places in the regional organizations, leave the National Movement Party. Some of them move to the Conservative Party of Zviad Dzidziguri and Koba Davitashvili – reportedly the same Bezhan Gunava, who left the majority, will soon join the Conservatives, naturally, along with his supporters.
At the same time you could meet interesting figures in the party’s head office – for instance the activists of former People’s Party who occupy key positions in the party’s central apparatus. At the same time Saakashvili’s fellow party members are already seeking out such persons from among themselves, and who will participate in efforts to bring new blood into the party and increase membership numbers. Information obtained by 24 Saati (Hours) indicates that the establishment of new team of party activists was charged to Davit Kirkitadze who has already offered posts in the party’s intra-structure to several MPs. And this means that the present ruling party does not need such people who settled the organizational problems, first of the Citizens’ Union and later the United Democrats – including Eduard Surmanidze, Marina Molodini, Roman Kusiani, etc.
In short, the ruling party evidently has organizational problems and growing pains. If the party fails to maintain unity in the foreseeable future, then this will certainly not have a positive impact on the government’s reputation and it will send mixed messages.
