Georgia’s opposition party "Georgian Dream" has easily beaten Saakashvili’s United National Movement (UNM) in yesterday's parliamentary election.

Preliminary estimates give the opposition 53.3 % of the vote to the government’s 41.5%.

In Armenian populated districts, howveer, a majority voted for the UNM: Akhaltskha - 83.4%; Akhalkalak - 74.7%; Tzalka - 64%; Marneuli - 73%.

President Saakashvili today conceded the loss to "Georgian Dream", a six-party coalition led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili.

Observers say that the election could mark the first peaceful transfer of power between rival parties in the country since independence.