Georgia opposition refuses to vote

A Georgian billionaire who is the main rival to President Mikheil Saakashvili in the country's parliamentary election refused to vote yesterday.
Bidzina Ivanishvili said the authorities had "already resorted to very many violations", as Georgia's 3.6 million voters went to the polls.
It is seen as the biggest test of President Saakashvili's popularity since he came to power in 2003.
Ivanishvili, Georgia's richest man, accused him of human rights abuses.
He described it as "something close to a democratic election" but accused Saakashvili of "distorting" the constitution, and said that was why he would not vote. His wife, who was with him at the polling station, did cast her ballot.
Despite the flaws, Ivanishvili said, "today for the first time in Georgian history the government will be changed through elections".
His Georgian Dream coalition urged supporters to rally in the centre of the capital Tbilisi yesterday evening "to celebrate victory together and defend our votes".