ISFED offers support to commission member after her allegations on vote rigging
A commission member in Kutaisi No.90 polling station says that she was forced by ruling party representatives to give ballot papers to unregistered voters. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) says that it is ready to lend support to election commission member of Kutaisi No. 90 polling station Iza Chirgadze, who said last week that she was forced by ruling Georgian Dream party representatives to give ballot papers to unregistered voters on the election day on Saturday.
ISFED stated that they are ready to provide legal assistance to Chirgadze if necessary. However, they say that Chirgadze’s phone is switched off, allegedly due to pressure on her from state agencies.
Law enforcement agencies are fully responsible to ensure a safe and pressure-free environment for Chirgadze and her family,” ISFED said.
Law enforcement agencies are fully responsible for ensuring safe and pressure-free environment for Chirgadze and her family. Since this morning, Iza Chirgaze’s phone is off and it is impossible to contact her. https://t.co/Dfw2QIlSwV#Gvote21 #Gvote2021
— ISFED (@isfed_official) November 2, 2021
The Girchi - More Freedom opposition party had asked ISFED to offer their support to Chirgadze after she accused the GD of rigging the elections.
ISFED has cited the opposition candidate for Kutaisi vice-mayor from Girchi - More Freedom party, Imeda Kldiashvili, as saying that after Chirgadze told journalists about the alleged violation, the State Security Service contacted her on November 1 and demanded she cease communications with opposition representatives and media outlets.
ISFED has called on law enforcement agencies to look into the incident.
The British Embassy in Georgia has assessed the Georgian municipal elections run-offs as ‘well administered’, but pointed out issues of ‘negative rhetoric’ and ‘pressure on voters.’ The embassy agrees with the OSCE/ODIHR evaluation that the run-offs were competitive, but undermined by ‘deepening polarization.’
The EU delegation to Georgia says that the October 30 municipal election run-offs in Georgia were generally well administered, the campaign was competitive, but that serious issues persist with an escalation of ‘negative rhetoric, persistent allegations of intimidation and pressure on voters and sharp imbalances in resources, which benefited the ruling party and tilted the playing field.’
OSCE/ODIHR and European Parliament (EP) observation missions have assessed Georgian municipal election run-offs held yesterday, stating that the race ‘was generally competitive and organized professionally’, but increasing polarization and negative rhetoric, as well as allegations of voter intimidation and the ‘continuing advantage of incumbency, demonstrated the need for further reforms.
The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) has assessed the October 30 municipal election run-offs as a ‘missed opportunity’ for Georgian democracy. The organisation monitored the second round of elections in all 20 constituencies where the run-offs were held, with 542 observers at polling stations and 100 outdoor observers.
The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party has dismissed allegations by a member of Kutaisi precinct election commission, Iza Chirgadze, that she was forced by the party to give ballot papers to unregistered voters on the election day on Saturday.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, who spoke of a wide range of issues at a news briefing earlier today, said that polarisation in Georgia can be overcome only if the parties, both the ruling party and the opposition, ‘return to solve real problems and real challenges’.
An election commission member of the Kutaisi No. 90 polling station, Iza Chirgadze, who claimed that she was forced by the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party to give ballot papers to unregistered voters on election day - October 30 - denies pressure was put on her, noting that she was not in any danger, after having been missing for the last two days.
Police are investigating a case of coercion involving election commission member of the Kutaisi No. 90 polling station, Iza Chirgadze, who claimed several days ago that she was forced by the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party to give ballot papers to unregistered voters on election day on October 30, local media outlet On.ge reports.
The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) says that a source gave them a document which allegedly proves school staff were forced to campaign in the recent municipal elections.