Georgian PM wants direct presidential polls

Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili said on March 6 that he wanted direct presidential polls. He has not named a candidate of the Georgian Dream coalition to run for president.

President Mikheil Saakashvili has urged the parliament to leave the existing rules unchanged.

A group of initiators needs to collect 200,000 signatures to start a referendum to change the scheme of presidential elections.

Adapted from Vestnik Kavkaza