European Parliament, OSCE/ODIHR to send observers for Georgia’s municipal elections
The Georgian Dream government has requested the presence of as many international observers as possible for the October 2 municipal elections. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The European Parliament as well as the OSCE/ODIHR will send observers for Georgia’s October 2 municipal elections.
OSCE/ODIHR has tweeted that both its short and long-term observers will monitor the elections.
Excellent news - European Parliament @Europarl_EN decided to send an election observation delegation to observe municipal elections in Georgia ????????
— Marina Kaljurand MEP (@MarinaKaljurand) September 9, 2021
Twenty-five foreign organisations have been registered so far to observe the elections.
The Georgian government says that it wants more international observers to prevent any question marks regarding the election results.
ODIHR is glad to be observing the forthcoming local #elections in ????????#Georgia with both long and short term observers. More election observations will follow in the coming months, contributing to a stronger democracy for all
— OSCE/ODIHR (@osce_odihr) September 9, 2021
The National Democratic Institute, which will also observe the elections, says that holding the elections in a fully democratic way is important for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic future and has released its recommendations ahead of the elections.
The National Democratic Institute (NDI) has offered recommendations ahead of the October 2 municipal elections to ‘help the country’ maintain its 30-year progress and leadership in the region for its commitment to Euro-Atlantic values.
The ruling Georgian Dream party says that 15 of 62 local observation organisations which have registered to monitor the October 2 municipal elections are affiliated with the opposition.
The National Democratic Institute (NDI) has launched its long-term election observation mission in Georgia for the October 2 municipal elections.
Georgian central and district commission members have signed a code of ethics ahead of the upcoming October 2 municipal elections in Georgia, promising to remain fair, impartial and independent.
Edison Research polls commissioned by the opposition-minded Formula TV say that 55 per cent of voters like both incumbent Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze and ex-PM Giorgi Gakharia who are running for Tbilisi mayor in the October 2 municipal elections.
The Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) has stated that some political parties ‘are exercising unprecedented pressure’ on its members which ‘disrupts the activities’ of the district election commissions and ‘poses threats’ to the general election environment ahead of the October 2 municipal elections.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili says the ruling Georgian Dream party will win the upcoming local self-government elections because it has no alternatives today.
There are 3,540,609 potential voters in the updated list which was handed over to the Central Election Commission (CEC) by the Public Service Development Agency (PSDA) today.
The European Parliament calls on the European Union to continue supporting the two Eastern Partnership countries, Ukraine and Georgia, and to promote European reforms and fundamental freedoms in the region.
All Georgian constituencies will be provided with video cameras to record the vote-counting process during the upcoming October 2 municipal elections, Deputy Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) Giorgi Sioridze announced earlier today. Sioridze also noted that video recordings are the only ‘new technological innovation’ implemented for the upcoming elections.
Expert teams of the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) are visiting Tbilisi in the run up to the October 2 self-government elections and are calling on ‘all political parties to uphold democratic principles by participating actively and in good faith during the elections and in the post-election period.
The Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities will observe the October 2 self-government elections in Georgia on the invitation of the Georgian government in 64 municipalities of the country. The mission involves 18 congress observers from 15 countries and is chaired by David Eray from Switzerland.
“The Georgian government will spare no effort to ensure a free and safe environment for transparent elections”, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili stated at the meeting with the representatives of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI) earlier today.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia responded to the non-profit organisation Civil Election Commission’s statement that 683 dead individuals are in electoral voters’ lists in 25 Georgian municipalities and called it ‘disinformation and attempt to mislead citizens.’ The CEC representative Tornike Gigisvanidze stated that it is impossible for an individual to vote instead of a deceased person ‘as the voter is obliged to present the ID (identification document) card at the polling station.’
“Election day is important, for sure, but it is just the tip of the iceberg”, said Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission (EOM) Albert Jonsson earlier today.
The European Parliament (EP) will send one more mission to Georgia for observing municipal election run-offs in the country on October 30, EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell has announced. Ambassador Hartzell stated that four more MEPs will monitor the second round of local elections in Georgia, together with OSCE/ODIHR.