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Parliament approves changes to election code to criminally prosecute individuals who intimidate voters, violate vote secrecy

President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili has officially declared October 31 as the date of parliamentary elections in Georgia. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge

Agenda.ge, 03 Sep 2020 - 21:39, Tbilisi,Georgia

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 approved by the Parliament of Georgia in its third and final hearing today.

These actions will be punishable by a fine, from six months to two years of house arrest or up to three years of imprisonment, based on the ruling Georgian Dream party-proposed changes.

Parliament to approve changes to electoral code, including gender quotas, party funding

The proposed changes received 81 votes in favour and zero against as the opposition United National Movement and European Georgia did not attend the voting.

Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadzw, who is currently in self-isolation, said in late August that with a series of amendments to the election code the ruling party aimed to hold the 2020 parliamentary elections in compliance with the highest democratic standard.

Two months ahead of the parliamentary elections President Salome Zurabishvili officially named October 31 as Election Day in Georgia.

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