The Central Election Commission (CEC) registered business tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili as a presidential candidate on December 9.

Irina Sarishvili, leader of the Russian-leaning Hope Party, was also registered.

The CEC has, however, refused to register five other presidential hopefuls: Giorgi Shervashidze, a former commander of Shevardnadze-era Interior troops; lawyer Kartlos Garibashvili; Avtandil Margiani, who served as the deputy prime minister in the early 90s under Shevardnadze; Archil Ioseliani and Shalva Kuprashvili, both political unknowns.

“They failed to submit to the CEC the required number [50,000] of supporters’ signatures,” Levan Tarkhnishvili, the CEC chairman, said on December 9.

The CEC registered Shalva Natelashvili, leader of the Labor Party; Levan Gachechiladze of the nine-party opposition party and Davit Gamkrelidze, leader of New Rights Party on December 7. Mikheil Saakashvili was registered on December 6.

The CEC has still to make a decision on the registration of Gia Maisashvili, leader of the Party of Future, and Levan Kidzinidze, a political unknown.