Georgian political analysts associate Omega Group scandal with presidential election

A scandal with the "Iberia" TV Company and its main sponsor, the Omega Group of Companies, provoked sharp criticism of the ruling "Georgian Dream" Party. According to political analysts, the scandal may affect the results of the presidential election.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that reporters of the "Iberia" TV Company accused the Georgian authorities of putting pressure on the TV Channel before the presidential election. The activities of the TV Channel faced threat after the operation of the tobacco factory was stopped and accounts of its main sponsor, the Omega Group of Companies, were blocked.

Grigol Vashadze, a candidate from the opposition "United National Movement" (UNM) Party, said that members of the ruling party "had lost all moral and political rights" to be called representatives of the people.

The political analysts believe that the scandalous record of the conversation between an owner of the Omega Group of Companies and one of the former ministers was intentionally made public before the presidential election.

The scandal will negatively affect the electorate's desire to support power at the election, noted Shota Utiashvili, a member of the "Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies".

The outbreak of the conflict does not positively affect the desire to support the authorities, said Nodar Kharshiladze, an analyst of the "Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies".

On October 1, in Georgia, 13 NGOs stated that recent events point to a "severe crisis of democracy," corruption, and ineffective clan rule. Among the NGOs that signed the above statement, there are the Young Lawyers' Association, the "Article 42 of the Constitution", the "Democratic Initiative of Georgia", and the "Partnership for Human Rights".