Slovakia unaffected by developments in Tbilisi.

(From The Slovak Spectator)

Byline: LukaS Fila Spectator staff

Slovak relations with Georgia are virtually non-existent, say analysts DESPITE the worldwide attention paid to the latest developments in Georgia, for the time being, it seems unlikely they will have much of a direct effect on Slovakia, according to experts. Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze stepped down on November 23, following popular protests against the validity of parliamentary elections held in the country earlier this month. Georgia's Supreme Court ruled on November 25 that the results of those elections were fabricated by pro-Shevardnadze forces, and annulled them. The civic movement that ousted the Georgian president from power is widely seen as a step towards greater democracy in Georgia, and some world media have termed it a 'velvet revolution', a name also used for the November 1989 anti-Communist revolt in the former Czechoslovakia. Official Slovak representatives were cautious in their reactions. "The Foreign Ministry is carefully observing the developments in Georgia," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Juraj Tomaga told The Slovak Spectator. "The latest developments in [the Georgian capital] Tbilisi have shown the democratic nature of the Georgian society, and we hope that the future political development and the upcoming presidential elections, scheduled to take place within 45 days, will be democratic and will lead this country to stability," he added. Tomaga refused to make further comments on the issue, pointing out that other governments in the central-European region have also restricted themselves to short statements or have given no reaction at all. Peter SpiSiak, press secretary with the Slovak embassy in Moscow, also responsible for dealing with Georgia, declined to comment. Experts say it is natural that officials opt for a wait-and-see tactic, stressing that one man alone doesn't represent the entire system, and some resistance to change could yet appear. "It cannot be ruled out that there will be an unexpected turn in developments; there could be turbulence because Georgia is not only Shevardnadze," said Alexander Duleba, ...