The former president of Georgia and the former head of the Odessa region, Mikhail Saakashvili, said that his party “The Movement of New Forces” was not allowed into the Verkhovna Rada elections by supporters of the ex-president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, at the CEC.
"Seriously? At first, the bank did not let us in for a long time (the National Bank of Ukraine. - RT ), whose management controls Poroshenko, and now the Central Election Commission appointed by him removes us, ”Saakashvili wrote on his Facebook page.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Central Election Commission did not register candidates for the “Movement of New Forces” deputies. This is stated on the official website of the CEC.
“The commission refused to register candidates for people's deputies of Ukraine included in the electoral list of the political party“ Rukh new forces ”in the nationwide multi-member electoral district, and candidates nominated in single-mandate electoral districts,” the agency reports.
It is also noted that the CEC made a decision after it reviewed a number of documents. According to the commission, the extraordinary party congress of the “Movement of New Forces”, which approved the electoral list of candidates, “took place in violation of the requirements of the party’s charter”.
After that, supporters of the Saakashvili faction came out to protest outside the building of the Central Election Commission.
“The entrance to the CEC is blocked. Representatives of the Movement of the new forces of Mikhail Saakashvili are not allowed into the premises. In addition, the National Guard under the CEC is now “,” the statement says on the official party page on Facebook.
Recall, Saakashvili announced his intention to form a political force after Petr Poroshenko signed a decree on his dismissal from the post of head of the Odessa Regional State Administration and dismissed his freelance adviser in November 2016. Three months later, the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice registered Saakashvili’s Movement of New Forces party.
"Do not forget the insults"
According to political analyst Rostislav Ishchenko, the real reason for the Central Election Commission’s refusal to register the party of Saakashvili is the falsified documents provided to them.
“The fact that the Central Election Commission was appointed Poroshenko, did not affect the decision of the department. The CEC based its decision on the fact that the party held a meeting earlier than Zelensky issued a decree dissolving the Verkhovna Rada, ”the analyst explained.
However, Mikhail Pogrebinsky, director of the Kiev-based Center for Political Studies and Conflictology, does not rule out that the refusal of the Central Election Commission to register the faction could be politically motivated.
“Saakashvili is right when he says that the composition of the CEC remained unchanged, so it is possible that Poroshenko’s people could have influenced the decision. But Zelensky, apparently, does not need Saakashvili to get under his feet with his projects, ”the expert said in a conversation with RT.
A similar opinion is shared by the RT source in the Batkivshchyna party.
- Former President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko
- © Mikhail Palinchak / Ukrainian Presidential Press Service / Handout via REUTERS
“Representatives of the CEC were really appointed by Petro Poroshenko and remained loyal to him. Everyone knows that Poroshenko does not forget insults. Therefore, it is possible that this may indeed be the answer of Saakashvili. I think Poroshenko would not like to see representatives of the ex-leader of Georgia in the Rada, ”the interlocutor of RT believes.
As the representative of the Popular Front Party noted in a conversation with RT, Saakashvili himself cannot run for parliament.
“To become a deputy, you must live on the territory of Ukraine for five years. Saakashvili did not comply with these requirements, ”said the representative of the Popular Front.
"Function performed"
According to analysts, the current president of the republic, Vladimir Zelensky, is not interested in Saakashvili’s political activities in Ukraine, although it was he who recently returned the Ukrainian passport to the former governor.
Recall, on May 28, the Ukrainian leader signed a decree on the return of Ukrainian citizenship to Mikhail Saakashvili. Earlier, the lawyer of the ex-president of Georgia made a request to the Zelensky administration.
Saakashvili himself called the president’s decision a “bold step.”
"Cowardly people are insured, they say:" Why do you need these problems? Saakashvili is crazy, ”but he did not listen to anyone. This suggests that we really have a chance that Zelensky is a different person, he is made from a different material, ”Saakashvili said.
Recall that the former Georgian leader ceased to be a citizen of Ukraine at the end of July 2017. As a reason, it was stated that he indicated false data in the questionnaire when submitting the documents.
According to Mikhail Pogrebinsky, Zelensky was difficult to avoid returning Saakashvili’s citizenship, because the ex-president of Georgia has many connections in Europe.
“The current Ukrainian leader simply did not want Saakashvili somehow to harm him,” the expert explained.
However, as Pogrebinsky notes, the ex-governor of the Odessa region is unlikely to be able to count on any posts in the new government.
“To Zelensky, his advisers probably already explained that it was risky to take responsibility for the appointment of such an unsubstantiated person as Saakashvili,” Pogrebinsky said.
In turn, Rostislav Ischenko believes that in fact the Ukrainian president is “indifferent” whether Saakashvili will continue his political activities in the republic.
- President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky
- © Valentyn Ogirenko / Reuters
“Because the Ukrainian president is associated with more influential people, which the former leader of Georgia is not. In addition, it is clear that Saakashvili does not have any political potential, so he can not prevent or help anyone. At one time, the former leader of Georgia was simply used against Poroshenko - he had already fulfilled this function, ”Ischenko said.
"In order not to forget"
Analysts also state that Saakashvili’s party no longer has a chance to participate in elections, even if a political force can unite with any other, since the registration deadlines have already ended.
Recall that in early June, the former head of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the head of the Civil Position party, Anatoly Gritsenko, made a proposal to the party of the former Georgian president to unite before the early elections to the Verkhovna Rada. Even then, he predicted that the “Movement of New Forces” might face problems regarding full participation in the elections.
However, as Rostislav Ischenko notes, even if the Movement of New Forces cooperates with another political force, this is unlikely to drastically change the situation for the party of the ex-president of Georgia.
“Maybe the“ Movement ”of Saakashvili will unite with any force, but these will be the same political corpses as he himself. He will do it only in order not to be forgotten about him, ”the expert noted.
- The leader of the political party "Civil Position" Anatoly Gritsenko
- © Maxim Blinov / RIA News
According to Ishchenko, the former head of Georgia must always be in the center of political events and media attention, and he is achieving this by any means available.
Meanwhile, a RT source in the Samopomich party claims that Saakashvili "has already missed his chance."
“Voters don't believe in him. Now the support of the Voice party and Svyatoslav Vakarchuk is growing. I think that Saakashvili can use Kiev as a platform for the struggle for power in Georgia. Experience shows that he is not ready to give up. Any normal person after the debacle in Ukraine would no longer appear here. But Saakashvili decided to enter the same river twice. We'll see what happens with him, ”said the source RT.