Ruling party official pledges “democratic” parliamentary elections in October
The official added the observers for the elections would arrive by October, as provided by the election legislation. Photo: Georgian Dream Press Office
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Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said the parliamentary elections in October would be held “democratically”, with all domestic political parties having the opportunity to conduct their campaigns under “equal” conditions.
Kaladze’s comments followed the call by the opposition United National Movement and Strategy Aghmashenebeli parties for inviting international observers to the country to monitor the voting.
[L]ong-term observers will [...] arrive [for the purpose], and the elections will be held at a very high level. This is primarily in our interest”, Kaladze said.
“Peace and tranquility will be maintained in the country. The elections will be held at the highest level, where all political parties will have the opportunity to conduct election campaigns”, he continued.
The official added the observers for the elections would arrive by October, as provided by the election legislation.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Monday said the Government was “interested in conducting transparent and competitive” parliamentary elections in 2024, and pledged it would “cooperate with everyone who will participate in this process with us”.
Natia Ioseliani, the Spokesperson of the Georgian Central Election Commission, on Friday rejected as a “lie” claims on the election administration refusing to create polling stations abroad ahead of the 2024 parliamentary elections and shifting the responsibility over the matter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday rejected a new report by the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy on electronic voting machines to be used in the 2024 parliamentary elections across the country as “totally manipulative and speculative”.
Preparations for next year’s parliamentary elections in Georgia and introduction of an electronic voting system ahead of the vote were discussed in a meeting between a delegation of the Central Election Commission of Georgia and representatives of the United States Agency for International Development and International Republican Institute in Washington on Tuesday.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday said the ruling Georgian Dream party was “not worried” about the upcoming parliamentary elections, however, it was still preparing to get the “maximum results”.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Saturday said the “main principle” for his Government was to ensure “legally sound” electoral legislation in alignment with international practice.
Giorgi Kalandarishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Central Election Commission, and his Deputy Giorgi Sharabidze on Tuesday discussed preparations for the upcoming general elections in the country with a delegation of the United States Agency for International Development.