The sitting Georgian president on Monday signed a decree to designate October 27 of this year as the date for the presidential election of the South Caucasus country.

The Georgian constitution stipulates that the presidential election should be held in October and the sitting president is entitled to choose a date no less than 60 days before the election.

"The president of Georgia signed a decree today (Monday) and the relevant act has already been published," said presidential spokesperson Manana Manjgaladze. "The next presidential election will be held on October 27, 2013. This is the last Sunday of October."

Mikheil Saakashvili has served two full terms and cannot run for a third time.

Various political groups in Georgia have been nominating their presidential candidates.