Russian senator: Georgia is on the brink of civil war

What is going on in Georgia after the parliamentary elections suggests that the country is on the brink of civil war, opined Mikhail Margelov, head of the international affairs committee of the Russian Federation Council, or the upper house of parliament.

"The powers that be and the opposition adopted a high profile on which of them had won the elections. They engage in skirmishes and use other means to prove their point. Eduard Shevardnadze has gone too far while trying to gain from Georgia's geopolitical location and manoeuvring between Russia and the USA. He seems to be loosing power completely," said the Russian senator.

"This is not a dispute over the election outcomes. What has taken place in Georgia recently can hardly be described as elections. Indeed, lawsuits keep to be filed, European observers are shocked by the number of violations, even those they themselves registered," said Mr Margelov.

"The is a dispute over Georgia's further line. Will it continue to be traded as a geopolitical territory or evolve into a country in its own right for the neighbours and the global community at large?" "Russia prefers the latter option for Georgia. In the latter case, no matter who will be in power in Georgia, normal relations on all international issues will inevitably restore between Georgia and Russia," he said.

"It is not clear who won the elections. However, it is only evident who lost them - President Shevardnadze," said Mr Margelov.