OSCE/ODIHR observation mission head: 15 groups monitoring Georgian elections set to reveal preliminary findings on Sunday

Eoghan Murphy, the head of the observation mission of the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, on Saturday said 15 monitoring groups were currently deployed across Georgia to observe the electoral process, with a preliminary announcement detailing the findings on the electoral environment scheduled for Sunday.

The main group arrived [in Georgia] on September 10, followed by long-term observers on September 17. Fifteen groups are working across the country. Each group is assigned a specific area. They have been meeting with representatives of the election administration, political parties and local media to evaluate the preparations for the elections and the overall electoral environment”, he said.

Murphy noted an interim report, issued on October 11, outlined areas of focus for the mission, while the upcoming preliminary statement aimed to provide a broad overview of the election environment.

Tomorrow, we plan to present a preliminary statement that will summarise our observations throughout the entire election period, including the voting day. This presentation will allow for a comprehensive discussion on the electoral environment, the activities of political parties, the performance of election administrations, and the legislative changes made since the previous elections. Tomorrow, we will provide a complete assessment of these factors”, he added.

Murphy said the mission had been in Georgia for an extended period, allowing the group members to meet with political parties not only in the capital city of Tbilisi but throughout the country.

We met with representatives from all the parties participating in the elections and asked them the same questions regarding their perceptions of the election environment. In these discussions, including a recent one with the Parliament members, they had the opportunity to express their views on the election process and campaigns. We can discuss all of this tomorrow”, he said.

The mission head emphasised the importance of media in the context of elections.

The media plays a significant role in this context [...] Tomorrow, we will discuss the media’s role during the elections, as well as the results of our observation of media operations during the election period in the country [...]. We also conducted media monitoring, our team tracked what was said on various channels, what was published on websites, and also monitored social media”, Murphy said.

The OSCE/ODIHR observation mission will assess the conduct of the elections for its compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation.