Gov’t bans special polling stations as opposition demands

Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili says a political decision has been made over the banning of special polling stations in Georgia. 

The decision came after the PM’s meeting with non-parliamentary opposition members earlier today. 

The opposition demanded the closure of the special polling stations as they believed such areas could be used by a leading political force for its own interests in the course of the elections. 

PM Kvirikashvili highlighted that he was open to cooperate with the opposition and discuss various issues with them. 

The Prime Minister took the opposition's demand into account. Photo by the Prime Minister's webpage. 

We are absolutely ready to support the involvement of all political players in the political process.”

Such an involvement is especially crucial in the pre-election period.”

We want to establish a high culture of relationship and to show our foreign partners that different political actors in Georgia can peacefully speak with each other and conduct exemplary elections,” said Kvirikashvili. 

The country’s top official also emphasised that this such type of interaction was important in the scope of the Georgia-European Union (EU) Association Agreement (AA), especially when the country had achieved "tangible success” in terms of its European integration. 

Special polling stations are generally formed during the election period for a special category of people who, due to several reasons, fail to vote at ordinary polling stations. 

Such stations are generally opened for law enforcers and soldiers, prisoners, people in hospitals, at retirement homes and more.