Curfew to be lifted for election run-offs
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The curfew in seven big cities of Georgia will be lifted on November 20-21, for the second-round of elections.
The restriction will be lifted starting 22:00 of November 20 until 22:00 of November 22.
- CEC officially announces November 21 as a day of run offs
- Elections 2020: all votes counted. What happens next?
Curfew came into effect on November 9, between 22:00 to 5 a.m. for the Georgian cities of Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, Rustavi. Gori, Poti and Zugdidi to prevent the further spread of coronavirus.
Violation of curfew is punishable by a 2,000 GEL fine.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia says that the November 21 election run-off in 17 election constituencies is of top importance for the country to return to a ‘normal and legal political process.' Gakharia stated earlier today that in the October 31 parliamentary elections the Georgian people came to ballot boxes amid the pandemic and allowed nine political parties to enter parliament. He stated that a stable political process in the country is vital for Georgia to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, economic crisis and regional challenges.
Several Georgian NGOs have released a statement claiming that the imposition of curfew in seven large cities in Georgia including the capital of Tbilisi starting November 9 is unconstitutional.
Starting November 9, a curfew will go into effect in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi, Rustavi, Zugdidi, Gori and Poti between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. amid an uptick in coronavirus cases. Vice Prime Minister Maia Tskitishvili announced at a news briefing earlier today that the interagency coordination council has made a decision based on the epidemiological situation in the country and the increased cases of infection.
The Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) has counted all votes cast in Saturday’s parliamentary elections. Nine parties have crossed the one per cent threshold to make it into the 150-member parliament per the proportional electoral system (120 seats in the legislative body). In the majoritarian elections the ruling Georgian Dream candidates has won 14 of 30 majoritarian constituences. A run-off will be held in 16 majoritarian constituencies on November 21, where the ruling Georgian Dream candidates won the race in 15 (of 16) constituencies, however, they were unable to receive at least 51% of total votes.
In order to assess the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on crime rates in Georgia, non-governmental organisation the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) analysed the crime statistics of 2020 registered by the Interior Ministry throughout the country.