Central Election Commission: some political parties exercising ‘unprecedented’ pressure on our members
The Georgian Central Election Commission has called on political parties to allow its employees work in a peaceful environment. Photo: CEC.
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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.
The CEC says that a member of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party has recently broken into the Lanchkhuti district election commission, in western Georgia, with journalists and threatened the commission head.
The CEC says that the UNM member was accusing the commission head of appointing politically-biased individuals to the commission.
We urge the members of district election commissions to proceed with their activities in a neutral way and not get involved in provocations,” CEC said.
The CEC says that if there is evidence proving its employees’ political bias, it should be presented in line with law.
It says that several fake accounts have been created ahead of elections to mislead voters with the use of the CEC logo and other official signs.
The CEC says that they have already reported the pages and ask Facebook administration to delete them.
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 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. 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.
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.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has held an online call with head of National Democratic Institute (NDI) Madeleine Albright, where he stated that the Georgian government is eager to receive many international observers for the October 2 municipal elections.
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 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.’
The Central Election Commission has released messages allegedly sent to the body by the United National Movement party and showing "intense pressure" on the commission as it prepares for the municipal elections on Saturday.