Georgia’s self-government election date set

There are 62 days left before Georgian citizens are able to elect who they wish to run the capital city and local municipalities.

The date for Georgia’s local self-government elections has been set for June 15, 2014.

Today the Georgian Government approved the June 15 election date, which was formally issued by the President of Georgia yesterday.

The highly anticipated election has gathered much public interest, as it is the first time changes to the Local Self-Government of Georgia Bill will come into play. For the first time in Georgia, on June 15 citizens can directly elect their chosen Mayor in twelve cities and heads of all municipalities across the country.

Like Mayors in self-governing towns, voters will also elect "gamgeblebi” (City Hall heads) for a three-year term. From the 2017 local elections, this term will be extended to four years.

Provincial Governors will remain appointed by the central Government, according to the Bill.

The new Local Self-Government of Georgia Bill, which was approved in February, determines the legal, economic, and financial basis for the implementation of local self-governance in Georgia.

President Giorgi Margvelashvili issued the decree "Appointment of Local Self Government’s Election” and urged the Government to support it. Similarly with other presidential decrees, this one also required endorsement by the Government.

President Margvelashvili announced the election date in his inaugural speech in Parliament on February 21.