Once considered a potential candidate for Commander General of the Polascianan armed forces, Union Party presidential nominee, Gennadiy Artamova today used his military experience to take the opening shots at the major obstacle between him and becoming the third president of Polasciana. Suggesting the country needed a ‘fresh start’ the former First Deputy Prime Minister took aim at his rival for the presidency, Prime Minister Koruin Gruaman. In a speech to Béspuran business leaders, the 58 year old former general mocked the Gruaman campaign slogan ‘Back on Track’, suggesting that the country could not ‘afford’ to go back to the days of the ‘President Gruaman era’. “He [Gruaman] is going around the country telling you guys to put him back in charge of a country he left in 2007 with an; economy waiting to burst, a military crippled by a lack of investment and a government in a permanent state of crisis.” He went on to point to his military experience, suggesting the country needed a ‘leader with integrity and a proven track record in the service of our country’. Artamova also criticised the Centrists record in the state of Béspura, highlighting the “severe lack of opportunity in this state that Governor Fischer promised, yet never delivered.”
Today’s attacks on the Prime Minister from Mr Artamova highlight the start of his national campaign, which is being led by one of President Lukyanov’s closest advisors. Signalling what is likely to be one of the central themes of his campaign whilst campaigning in his home state of Buratiyan today, Mr Gruaman highlighted Mr Artamova’s close links with the incumbent president; “The Unionists had two years in government, before the country saw sense and re-elected a Centrist government – one of their former ministers bailed on the party straight away and was drafted in to prop-up the president’s failing administration – I heard he’s now working as my rivals campaign manager, it’s a worrying thought that Mr Artamova is just as close to the President today as he was three years ago.” The sharp exchange of words today is likely to form the basis of what looks to be the closest, and most heated presidential election yet. Seen as a potential challenger for the presidency from 2007 onwards, Gennadiy Artamova has agreed to debate Gruaman on the eve of their first electoral test – the by-election for the lower house seat of Rogan, made vacant after Polasciana Centrist minister Lena Zilberman quit front-line politics citing personal reasons.
Counted out of the legislative elections in 2008 by many pollsters, Koruin Gruaman’s performance at a debate during that campaign was seen as his saving moment. But it was Mr Artamova acting as Chairperson of that debate who will be the insurgent challenger in the first prime-time Presidential Debate on the 24th September. A popular figure, many commentators suggest that Mr Artamova is polling only around 2% behind Mr Gruaman at this stage of the race in a theoretical run off on November 6th. A low-key start to their presidential hopes, the United Nationalist Democrats launched their campaign in the shadow of their two larger rivals today. Fighting his first presidential campaign, UND candidate Tymur Rubin said that he was “unconcerned” with the party’s plummeting approval ratings following his decision to join the Centrists in government. “You know they tell me we don’t have a hope in this campaign, but I know that the more people we speak to going around the country, the more there is an appetite for change,” said Mr Rubin.
Closing his appearance in Béspura this afternoon, Mr Artamova received a convincing applause from his crowd, “We’re going to go out their and let this country know that there is an alternative to Prime Minister Gruaman’s failed leadership over the past 8 years – it’s time to believe that we can start tackling the problems of tomorrow, today. We cannot wait any longer – our region is unstable, our country is at breaking point – we cannot afford to miss this chance to change.”
