Ruling party MP: int’l observers will be able to come to Georgia for elections, despite travel limitations
The ruling Georgian party MP Irakli Kobakhidze says that observers will be tested for coronavirus but will not be quarantined in the country. Photo: Georgian Dream press office.
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Ruling party MP, former parliament speaker Irakli Kobakhidze says that international observers will be able to monitor the autumn parliamentary elections in Georgia, responding to speculations that the government is ‘deliberately maintaining’ travel restrictions to create obstacles for international observers.
These speculations have no justification, and I believe that the public has already become indifferent to such statements (by the opposition). Decisions on the flights will be made taking the epidemiological situation into account. Georgia is negotiating with the EU member states in this regard,” Kobakhidze said.
He stated that special guidelines are being drafted to ensure observers are able to come to Georgia ‘without problems.’
Observers will face minimal problems, like testing for COVID-19. Of course, they will not be sent to quarantine,” Kobakhidze said.
He stated that the opposition’s demands to reopen the borders is related ‘to their wish for the virus to spread and the elections to be postponed.’
Parliamentary elections are scheduled in Georgia at the end of October.
The ruling Georgian Dream party says that it is fulfilling all the conditions of the election agreement made with the opposition last week with the mediation of the diplomatic corps, responding to allegations of the opposition regarding the release of imprisoned opposition leaders and members.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia says that through the passing of the election bill earlier today, ‘Georgia has taken another important step to ensure its European and Euro-Atlantic future.’"The new electoral system which was adopted demonstrates the Georgian Dream's strong will to consistently implement the most important changes for the country, which no other political force has been able to achieve, and which serves to further consolidate a European parliamentary democracy in Georgia,” Gakharia said.
Head of the Georgian National Centre for Disease Control Amiran Gamkrelidze says that the current epidemiological situation in Georgia will allow for elections to be held, studies to begin and other activities to be expanded.
With 136 votes in favour and five against, the Georgian parliament has passed an electoral bill establishing a more proportional electoral system in its first hearing today. The bill says that 120 seats in parliament will be distributed based on the votes received in proportional elections, while remaining 30 per the votes received in majoritarian elections.
The Georgian Dream ruling party is likely to receive 39 per cent of votes in the upcoming parliamentary elections in October, says the recently published US Edison Research’s polls, commissioned by Georgian channel Formula TV.
Georgia has drafted a special safety protocol for foreign observers who will monitor the upcoming parliamentary elections in October, Georgian Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze stated earlier today.
The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has thanked the Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani for his official invitation to observe Georgia’s upcoming parliamentary elections on October 31. Secretary Pompeo said he appreciates ‘everything that the government of Georgia has done to encourage and facilitate the safe arrival of international observers’.
OSCE/ODIHR will send 350 short-term and 28 long-term observers for Georgia’s October 31 parliamentary elections, Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani stated earlier today.
IRI’s international Technical Election Assessment Mission (TEAM) has already arrived in Georgia to assess the October 31 parliamentary elections.