Prime Minister: “It’s a political decision to hold Parliamentary Elections on October 8”
Tweet 
Share
Georgia’s President and Prime Minister made a political decision when they agreed that the upcoming Parliamentary Elections will be held on October 8, 2016.
Today Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said discussions between himself and President Giorgi Margvelashvili about the date of the election ended with the two officials agreeing the elections needed to be held in early October, as a later date might cause complications.
Explaining this further, Kvirikashvili said a second round of elections might be necessary, especially in the majoritarian contest, and this might face difficulties due to bad weather in mountainous regions in late autumn.
If we stretched the election date to the end of October and if there was a need for a second round, preparing for a second round requires at least one month and this could cause problems for the mountainous regions,” said Kvirikashvili.
He stressed it was beneficial for election players to learn the exact date of the October elections early as this allowed political parties to plan a range of activities within their pre-election campaigns.
Exactly when political players can begin pre-election campaigning is not yet decided, and consultations about this were currently underway, with the involvement of the Central Election Commission (CEC), said the PM.
Kvirikashvili believed all parties should campaign their own policies however he did not approve of a long pre-election term, as millions of GEL in expenses would unnecessarily be spent from the state budget on official election campaigning expenditures.
After Kvirikashvili and President Margvelashvili met on April 5 and agreed the elections would take place on October 8, the President said political players would be able to begin their pre-election campaign from August 8. This would give political sides two months to campaign their policies before the Parliamentary Elections.
Kvirikashvili echoed these sentiments and said it was good to announce the election date early and give political parties plenty of time to prepare for their election campaigns, and he also agreed the late start of the pre-election campaign.
This decision caused a stir within some opposition parties, who said August was a slow time for political campaigning pre-election campaigning due to holiday making and they would have only a month for informing voters about their intentions, programs and goals.
Since the April 5 meeting, relevant documentation has been sent to PM Kvirikashvili to sign.
Without his signature the President's decision will not be valid.
As of today he has not yet signed the document. He must choose to sign the document or not before Friday 15 April. If Kvirikashvili chooses not to sign it, the President must choose other dates, it can be both dates-election date and the pre-election campaign start day, or only the date related to the launch of the pre-election campaign.
There are 185 days left before Georgian citizens can vote for who they want to run the country. The date for Georgia’s Parliamentary Elections has been set for October 8, 2016.
Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili believes political parties should have three months to carry out their pre-election campaigning ahead of the October Parliamentary Elections.
The Ministry of Justice of Georgia handed an updated list electoral list to the Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC), which showed as of May 1, 2016 there were 3.53 million eligible voters in Georgia.
Georgia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) says 14 parties have addressed the agency to undergo mandatory registration for the upcoming October Parliamentary Elections.
Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili has signed the President’s decree about the upcoming Parliamentary Elections, meaning parties can officially begin pre-election campaigning from today.
Georgia’s Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze has been chosen to lead the Georgian Dream Democratic Georgia (GDDG) party through the pre-election period before the October 8, 2016 Parliamentary Elections.
Georgia's Central Election Commission (CEC) updated the electoral roll. Every citizen is now able to check their data on the website voters.cec.gov.ge.
This afternoon Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili made a special appeal to political players, state bodies and the general public prior to the October 8 Parliamentary Elections that again asked everyone to act in line with the law during the election period.
High officials from the United States (US) are welcoming Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili’s election appeal, where he highlighted the importance of hosting a free and transparent Parliamentary Election and the necessary for everyone to behave appropriately.
The majority of Georgian lawmakers approved the new Code of Conduct for Political Parties in Election Period – a document that specifies the obligatory rules of behaviour for election subjects in the pre-election and election periods for Georgia’s Parliamentary Election, scheduled for October 8.
Georgia's Minister of Defence Tinatin Khidasheli and Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality Paata Zakaraeishvili will step down from their posts to participate in the October 8 election representing the David Usupashvili-Republican Party, which will run separately from the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) coalition.
Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili says the resignation of Georgia's Minister of Defence and Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality was discussed and agreed by the current ruling Georgian Dream (GD) coalition member parties.
Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili says pre-election campaigning in Georgia for the October 8 Parliamentary Elections is in full swing and is being carried out in a calm environment by all political players.
Today the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia (GDDG) party presented its top 15 party members on its election list, which was composed of fresh, new faces who have a high level of domestic and foreign education, mainly in law and management.
Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia (GDDG), has officially started campaigning for the upcoming Parliamentary Elections, set for October 8, 2016. The campaign began in Imereti region of the country's west.
Two cabinet ministers within the current Georgian Government are stepping down from their posts to participate in the October 8 Parliamentary Elections race.
The Prime Minister of Georgia is travelling around the country to meet the population and share the policies and future plans of the current ruling party, Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia (GDDG).His nationwide tour comes about eight weeks before the October 8 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia.
Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili says his team has a plan how Georgia’s western, coastal Adjara region could be transformed into an all-season tourist resort.
Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili has spoken out against the content of an advertisement by a pro-Russian political party that promises legalisation of the Russian Army in Georgia, Russian pension and double citizenship.
Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili of the Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia (GDDG) ruling party presented its 21 majoritarian candidates for capital Tbilisi ahead October 8 Parliamentary Elections.
Representatives from the election administration from Georgia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) and 14 local observing organisations today signed a Code of Conduct for the October 8 Parliamentary Elections
Georgia’s Minister of Internal Affairs issued a special decree today that clearly outlines the roles and responsibilities of Georgia’s police in the election period.
Georgia’s Prime Minister is confirming the fact several political parties in Georgia are planning provocations ahead of next month’s Parliamentary Elections.