Special police groups to be created in regions to prevent election-related offences

Special police groups will be created in Georgian regions to ensure the October 31 parliamentary elections be held in a free and safe environment, a new decree  signed by Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri says. 

The groups will be responsible for ensuring a safe environment for election campaigning and taking all necessary measures to prevent election-related offences, reads the decree. 

The policemen must be unbiased in their actions, said the decree. 

The upcoming elections will be held in a different manner - 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. 

Previously 77 seats in its 150-member parliament were allocated proportionally, under the party-list system, while the remaining 73 MPs were  elected in 73 single-mandate constituencies. 

Since the parliament failed last year to ensure the early transition to the fully proportional electoral system starting from 2020, the ruling party and the opposition agreed on a different model for upcoming elections, in the talks mediated by the diplomatic corps. 

The country is scheduled to shift to the fully proportional electoral system starting from 2024.