Russian Foreign Ministry said results of Georgia’s October 1 parliamentary election was Georgian voters’ verdict to the policies of present leadership of the country and showed the Georgian society’s drive for change.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on October 3, that Russia kept a close eye on run up to and conduct of parliamentary elections in Georgia.

He said that the results of these elections in which President Saakashvili’s party was defeated by Bidzina Ivanishvili-led Georgian Dream coalition, showed Georgian voters’ evaluation of “social-economic situation, state of affairs of democracy and human rights in the country, as well as present Georgian authorities’ policies in respect of security in the South Caucasus.”

“It is obvious that the Georgian society has voted for changes. We hope that in the end these [changes] will allow Georgia to start normalizing, building constructive and respectful relations with neighbors. Such a development would obviously be welcomed in Russia,” Lukashevich said in a statement.

Russia’s PM Dmitry Medvedev said on October 2 that if early official results were confirmed “the political landscape of Georgia will become more diverse.”

“It can only be welcomed, because probably it means that more constructive and responsible forces will come to the Parliament,” Medvedev said. He also said that the results showed that voters in Georgia wanted changes.