CEC imposes fine for people, parties that violate election rules

Georgia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) has released a special statement today outlining the rules about who can participate in the October 8 Parliamentary Election in Georgia, and say those who violate these rules will be punished.

Head of the CEC Tamar Zhvania stated political parties or individuals who supported any type of participation of non-Georgian citizens, or those without citizenship, in the election campaigning will be fined.

Zhvania’s comments come in the wake of an address by local non-governmental organisation Georgia’s Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) about the participation of Georgia’s ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, who is now a citizen of Ukraine, in the pre-election campaigning of opposition United National Movement (UNM). 

The GYLA submitted an application to the CEC on August 1, urging the agency to draw up an administrative offence report, which entailed imposing a 2,000 GEL fine after Saakashvili made a video address to UNM supporters in Georgia’s coastal city Batumi on July 31.

Georgia’s ex-president fled Georgia in 2013 and became a citizen of Ukraine in May 2015. He made the address despite the fact the Election Code of Georgia forbid him, as a citizen of a foreign country, to do so. 

In today’s statement Zhvania responded to the GYLA appeal, and said it was "practically impossible” to write up an administrative offence report regarding Saakashvili’s actions, as he was not in Georgia. Furthermore Saakashvili has not been in the country since 2013 and if he returned back he will face charges for several serious offences.

However to prevent other such violations, Zhvania stressed the CEC would discuss amending the Election Code so political parties or individuals who make such speeches, or participate publicly in election campaigning without being eligible to, are fined.

The CEC appealed to political players to refrain from committing this type of violation or any other violation leading up to and during the October 8 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia.