Tbilisi mayoral candidate Zviad Dzidziguri has a gun and is not afraid to use it. The Conservative Party leader says he pulled out his gun and fired several shots into the air on May 6 to defend himself from poster-bearing supporters of his rival, Mayor Gigi Ugulava of the ruling United National Movement.
Conservative Party loyalists and government supporters blame each other for starting the brawl. The Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation. “If such provocations repeat themselves, I will do the same,” Dzidziguri declared.
Mayor Ugulava described the incident as an attack on the United National Movement and called on all political groups competing for Georgia's key municipal office to exercise restraint during the campaign season.
But after a May 6 smash-up between protesters and police, popular fears persist that the campaign may descend into bare-knuckle confrontation.
What room, if any, will be given to ideas may be determined this weekend during televised candidate debates on Georgian Public Broadcasting co-financed by USAID. Aside from Ugulava and Dzidziguri, the debates will feature Alliance for Georgia leader Irakli Alasania, ex-energy boss Giorgi Chanturia for the Christian-Democratic Movement, and beer magnate Gogi Topadze of the Industrialists Party.
Needless to say, no guns allowed.
Giorgi Lomsadze is a journalist based in Tbilisi, and author of Tamada Tales.
Sign up for Eurasianet's free weekly newsletter. Support Eurasianet: Help keep our journalism open to all, and influenced by none.