PM Garibashvili: gov’t will ensure elections are held in a calm, competitive environment
“Provocations are expected in different places and districts but we are announcing a full mobilisation. We will prevent any provocation on the spot,” stated Garibashvili. Photo: Irakli Garibashvili/Facebook.
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has addressed the country’s international partners and stated that the ‘government will ensure the upcoming October 2 municipal elections are held in a calm and competitive environment.’
I would like to say to our international partners that our main ambition is for the upcoming local elections to be exemplary. These elections must be free, fair, transparent so that no one is left with any questions,” Garibashvili said.
He also warned of ‘expected provocations’ and noted that police are mobilised for the elections and ‘no one will be allowed to provoke chaos.’
Provocations are expected in different places and districts but we are announcing a full mobilisation. We will prevent any provocation on the spot,” stated Garibashvili.
Garibashvili also responded to the Central Election Commission’s (CEC) recent statement regarding the increased number of cases of pressure, abuse and threat on the district and precinct election commission members ahead of the elections and said that ‘pressure is being exerted by the opposition.’
The CEC announced yesterday that ‘in some cases, there has been an attempt by observers to overstep their authority to stage a provocation.’ Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
The body called on all local and international observers and media outlets to report on each case and to contribute to the ‘transparency of the process and the credibility of the elections.’
Several days are left before the local self-government elections take place in Georgia where overall 71 local and 33 international organisations will observe the election process.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) has reported earlier today that the cases of pressure, abuse and threat on the district and precinct election commission members have increased ahead of municipal elections. "In some cases, there has been an attempt by observers to overstep their authority to stage a provocation,” a spokesperson of the CEC Natia Ioseliani stated.
The ruling Georgian Dream party says opposition United National Movement (UNM) party members in regions are acting in a destructive and provocative manner. Ruling party MP Irakli Chikovani said at a news briefing earlier today that for several days now the UNM representatives have been staging provocations to ‘artificially damage the peaceful and calm election environment’ in various regions.
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.
Our primary goal is to ensure safe environment for free and fair elections, which are essential for Georgia and its European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has tweeted.
Eleven days are left until the October 2 municipal elections in Georgia when voters will elect 64 mayors and 2,068 members in 64 city councils. The lead up to the elections has been marked by the ruling party’s withdrawal from the April 19 EU-mediated agreement, an attack on journalists by right-wing activists in July during Tbilisi Pride events, the recent leak of alleged personal files and continued vows of Georgia’s ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili that he will return.