PM candidate: Gov’t will ensure “proper environment” for upcoming elections, e-voting will lead to “serious progress”

Irakli Kobakhidze, the candidate for the post of the Prime Minister of Georgia, on Wednesday told the opposition factions in the Parliament, as part of the presentation of his Government programme, that the Government would ensure the creation of a “proper environment” for the upcoming elections.

Kobakhidze noted the implementation of the electronic voting system in the country would lead to “serious progress” and emphasised that it would “eliminate many problems”, adding the new system would be available for 91 percent of voters at polling stations. 

Observation of international missions will also be ensured, and a [relevant] letter from the Georgian Government will be sent to OSCE-ODIHR in the coming days”, he added.

The candidate for PM highlighted the importance of political consensus for holding elections with “proper standards” and noted that the constructive involvement of all political entities, including the domestic opposition, in the process would be “very good”, but pointing out that “there are serious shortcomings” in achieving “political peace and consolidation” in Georgia.

He stressed that Georgia’s political system was “definitely” in need of “more consensus and less radicalism”.