US Ambassador: Georgia should expect Russian interference in the elections
Degnan said that one of the ways Russia may interfere in the parliamentary elections is to spread disinformation campaigns. Photo: IPN.
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US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan says that Georgia should expect Russian interference in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
She said that one of the ways Russia may interfere in the parliamentary elections is to spread disinformation campaigns.
The US and international donors have an initiative aimed at raising the awareness of the Georgian public and helping Georgians to distinguish fake news from verified information", Degnan said.
She added that political leaders should also provide information to the public on issues that are important to them.
This is necessary to ensure that voters arrive at the polling station prepared and informed", Degnan said.
Parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held in Georgia on October, 31 2020 to elect 150 members of parliament.
Parliamentary elections will be held according to an updated electoral system: 120 MPs will be elected according to party lists, and 30 - according to majoritarian districts. In addition, the barrier for a party to enter parliament has been lowered and is now not three, but only one percent.
President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili has named October 31 as the date of parliamentary elections and elections of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara within Georgia. Zurabishvili said that 30 years ago, on October 28, 1990 Georgia held democratic elections and 'we should continue this tradition and represent our country to the world as an extremely democratic country'.
EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell says that as an international observer it is more important for him to see how a party will win at the 2020 parliamentary elections of Georgia rather than who wins.
One of the leaders of the opposition European Georgia party and a former member of the United National Movement (UNM) party Giga Bokeria predicts voters will punish the UNM this October when the country goes to the polls in parliamentary elections, as 'our citizens do not make mistakes when assessing who is politically immature and irresponsible.’
Coercion and intimidation of voters or the violation of vote secrecy will become criminally liable in Georgia as part of a series of amendments to the election code proposed by the ruling Georgian Dream party. Violation of vote secrecy or coercion of a voter will result in a fine or house arrest for a period from six months to two years or imprisonment for about three years.
Starting today, the 59 political parties that have registered with the Central Election Commission (CEC) to run in the 2020 Georgian parliamentary elections can begin their election campaigns.
The United National Movement and nine opposition parties that are members of the Strength is in Unity political movement will nominate former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili as their candidate for the prime minister’s post, announced Chairman of the National Movement Grigol Vashadze.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia has announced that mayoral by-elections in the five municipalities of Kaspi, Oni, Kharagauli, Terjola and Kutaisi will be held along with the parliamentary elections on October 31.
The Central Election Commission has set safety guidelines for the upcoming parliamentary elections on October 31 following consultations with political parties and monitoring organisations. Disinfectant barriers and hand sanitizers as well as information about preventive measures against the spread of the virus will be placed at the entrance of polling premises, the CEC said.