12 local NGOs urge gov’t to act to reduce coronavirus risks during elections

Twelve local NGOs have urged the Georgian government to inform people about the decisions it may make to ensure the safe conduct of the October 31 parliamentary elections amid a serious increase in coronavirus cases.

• Georgia reports 1,194 new cases of coronavirus, Tbilisi, Imereti on top of list

The NGOs say that to respond to the challenge properly the government should:

• Expand the Crisis Council (created by the government to respond to coronavirus challenges) and allow political parties, NGOs and the public defender to participate in meetings
• Develop a plan to manage the coronavirus outbreak with various spread rate scenarios 
• Define the rate and severity of the epidemic and the number of people infected by the coronavirus that would necessitate the declaration of a state of emergency, which would postpone the elections and impose restrictions.

PM Gakharia: no state of emergency will be declared, economy won’t be stopped

The government says that there are no grounds to postpone the elections at this time.