TBILISI (AFP) ??” Turnout in the presidential election in the former Soviet republic of Georgia has passed the 50 percent door needed to make it valid.

TBILISI (AFP) ??” Turnout in the presidential election in the former Soviet republic of Georgia has passed the 50 percent door needed to make it valid, electoral officials said.

"I can announce that the election is valid," Zurab Chiaberashvili, chairman of Georgia's Central Election Commission told reporters. "This geographical division has shown a high of the same height of political culture."

He said 12 million nation had already cast their suffrages out of more than 17 million voter who were registered before the election.