Tbilisi. On December 4th, we facilitated a compelling discourse addressing the hurdles in establishing a fair pre-election environment for the upcoming 2024 elections. The discussion featured active participation from political party representatives, both local and international organizations, the Office of the Public Defender, the Central Election Commission (CEC), and diplomatic entities. Our deliberations encompassed the perils associated with the utilization of administrative resources prior to elections, the systematic violations uncovered in previous electoral processes, and strategies for their prevention in the current election cycle. This event was made possible through the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). More… Source: Transparency International Georgia

Tbilisi. ISEFD publishes a new research " CHALLENGES FOR ELECTION CAMPAIGN FINANCE IN GEORGIA" "The present study aimed to identify the financial challenges for the election campaigns of the political parties during the elections, as well as invisible barriers for regional politicians, women, representatives of ethnic minorities, and independent candidates. To achieve this aim, the study intended to differentiate the party revenues according to its sources; analyze donation schemes; identify the activities carried out by the electoral subjects to raise the campaign funds; compare election campaign expenditures according to the years, electoral subjects and categories of spending; analyze the attitudes toward supporting the women candidates in political parties; define how parties manage additional state funding obtained through internal party quotas; and analyze the policy toward supporting the candidates representing the ethnic minorities. " source: ISEFD

Tbilisi. According to the information of ISFED the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO) condemns the fake “referenda” held by the self-proclaimed “authorities” of the Russian occupied territories of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhia. “These “referenda” are illegal and an act of aggression and political manipulation to attempt to legitimize the Russian Federation’s anti-democratic agenda. Ultimately, the goal of holding these pseudo-electoral processes is to force Ukrainian authorities to concede parts of its territories and further damage its territorial integrity, in violation of international law and fundamental rights”. Read more… Source: isfed.ge

Tbilisi. According to the information of the ISFED despite the expiration of the term established by the legislation, the election of the CEC chairperson and professional members has not taken place until now. The organization calls on the Parliament of Georgia to fulfil the requirements of the law and fill the vacancies in the CEC on time. Read more… Source: isfed.ge

Adjara. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, within the framework of the Short-term Observation Mission 2022, informs the public about the results of the observation of Election Day. “According to GYLA`s observers, regulations concerning the control over the will of voters, in particular, rules on the gathering, physical obstruction, and counting of voters, were violated numerous times throughout the day. Influential figures, such as MPs and members of Tbilisi and municipality Sakrebulos from the Georgian Dream, UNM, and other political parties were also present. Their presence near the polling stations increased the risk of influencing the will of voters. In addition, several cases of agitation were observed. Those violations were related to both of the running parties”. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Today marks 83 years since the birth of Zviad Gamsakhurdia and 31 years since the referendum on the restoration of state independence. The March 31 referendum was not held in Tskhinvali, Kornisi (Znauri) and Java districts, but the total number of voters in Georgia included the number of voters from this region. In Tskhinvali district, a referendum was held on the territory of seven rural councils, where the total number of voters was 11,376. 10,180 voters (99.68%) answered positively to the referendum question. IDFI offers documents preserved in Russia, at the Yeltsin Center on this and other interesting issues about Zviad Gamsakhurdia's presidency. Read more… Source: jobs.ge

Tbilisi. On March 27 the closing ceremony of the School on Party Politics was held. The spring session of the School on Party Politics is the first, theoretical part of the project “Strengthening sustainable political culture among Georgian political parties”. Read more… Source: gip.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia studied the issue of campaign finances of 2021 municipal elections from August 2 to November 13, 2021. “13 election subjects who either are getting public funding or who received donations of at least GEL 100,000 during the year were selected for the study. Both in terms of total revenues and expenditures (up to GEL 27-28 million each), the ruling party's finances were almost twice as high as the other 12 parties combined, indicating an extremely unequal distribution of finances between the parties, which is detrimental to the electoral environment”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia publishes the survey: Misuse of Administrative Resources during Georgia’s 2021 Municipal Elections. Organization’s observation of the 2021 municipal elections showed that the misuse of administrative resources during elections is still problematic for Georgia. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) publishes a blog post: Political advertisements on Facebook and Instagram during the period of the 2021 elections. “According to the Facebook Advertising Library, political parties and their representatives/ candidates, participating in the elections, posted 8 126 political advertisements on Facebook and Instagram for the 2021 local self-government elections within the period from August 9 through November 6. Not less than USD 524 602 and not more than USD 536 086 were spent for this activity”. Read more… Source: isfed.ge

Tbilisi. Statement of Irakli Kobakhidze in regard to constitutional amendments is appraised negatively. Part of civil society organizations in Georgia considers that the statement of Irakli Kobakhidze, Chairman of the “Georgian Dream”, in regard to suspension of review of constitutional amendments and possible refusal to reduce the electoral threshold is detrimental to the democratization process of the country. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI) responds to recent detentions of activists by law enforcers. The organization considers that the tendency of violation of rights of activists and their punishment on political grounds in the country is intensifying. “We call on the court to refrain from using the Code of Administrative Offenses as a repressive tool in legal proceedings of detained activists and assess their actions in the light of freedom of expression and the current political context. Besides, we urge the Ministry of Internal Affairs to avoid abusing the same code so as to suppress criticism, which fact is a clear example of politicization of law enforcement agencies and weakens public confidence in them”. Read more… Source: gdi.ge

Tbilisi. Part of civil society organizations in Georgia responds to the process of the 2021 municipal elections. “In terms of technical administration, the Election Day was conducted mostly in accordance with rules established by law. However, irregularities detected by local and international observation missions during the pre-election period, as well as in the processes of voting on the Election Day and vote counting had an unequivocally negative impact on expression of free will of voters and public confidence in the electoral process and election results. Given slight differences in numbers of ballots in some municipalities, these irregularities could affect final results.  It is unfortunate that problems related to facts of misuse of administrative resources, dismissals on political grounds, use of public servants for electoral purposes and pressure-intimidation are still topical in the context of the pre-election period and the Election Day. Regrettably, local elections conducted with low democratic standards may cause further deepening of polarization within society”... Read more… Source: isfed.ge

Tbilisi. OSCE/ODIHR and European Parliament releases the statement on the second round of the Georgian Local Government Election. “The second round of the local elections was generally well administered but continued polarization coupled with escalation of negative rhetoric adversely affected the process. The campaign was competitive and had a prominent national focus, overshadowing local issues. Candidates were generally able to campaign freely, but allegations of intimidation and pressure on voters persisted. Sharp imbalances in resources, and an undue advantage of incumbency further benefited the ruling party and tilted the playing field. Election day was generally calm and well administered, with a few instances of confrontation and mutual provocations between party supporters outside polling stations. Despite recent legislative amendments banning gatherings within 100 meters of a polling station, IEOM observers noted the presence, at times intimidating, of groups of individuals in the immediate surroundings of 29 per cent of the polling stations visited”. Read more… Source: www.osce.org

Imereti. According to information released by the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), a judge of the Kutaisi Court of Appeals wrote an important distinctive opinion on an electoral dispute of GYLA. The organization considers that arguments incorporated in the distinctive opinion set an important precedent for proper resolution of electoral disputes and need to be taken into account by election administrations and courts. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. ISFED has presented the third interim report on social media monitoring. According to the report: “The website of Ana Dolidze was the most active among those of Tbilisi mayoral candidates. Interaction with posts shared on anti-opposition websites is almost 4 times higher than with those published on pages that act against the Georgian Dream. The highest amount for advertisements, about 127 thousand US dollars, was paid by the Georgian Dream. It is followed by the United National Movement (approximately 68 thousand US dollars) and Lelo (up to 36 thousand US dollars). Most of the ads on anonymous sites (188) were uploaded on pages that discredit opposition and costs for such activities vary from 2 520 to 2 619 US dollars”. Read more… Source:isfed.ge

Tbilisi. Media Advocacy Coalition calls on the Parliament of Georgia not to vote for the bill on amendments to the Law of Georgia on Broadcasting and to withdraw the disputed document immediately. “Proposed changes do not serve to improve the electoral environment and reduce polarization in the country, besides, they restrict freedom of political expression and the media and endanger democratic development of the country”, - is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) publishes a statement and calls on the Parliament of Georgia not to vote for changes to be made to the Law of Georgia on Broadcasting and the Election Code of Georgia. "The Parliament of Georgia should be motivated to help increase the level of voter awareness and reduce political polarization, however, it is unimaginable to achieve these goals via the hastily drafted bill and repressive mechanisms”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more... Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Social Justice Center presents an analytical document that has been prepared by employees of the organization on the basis of observation of election processes in Kvemo Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti regions during the pre-election period and on the day of the elections. “This document is an attempt to see those main challenges, problematic approaches and the “different” environment, in which citizens of Georgia, representing non-dominant ethnic groups, have to make their choice”. Read more… Source:socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. According to the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), the number of people receiving subsistence allowance in Georgia has increased by 44.12% since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Elections affect determining the number of socially vulnerable people in a certain way for years. For example, in the run up to the 2021 local elections, in the month of June alone, the number of people receiving subsistence allowance increased by about 70 thousands”. Read more... Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. According to information released by the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), the organization demanded legal response to violations detected on the voting day and in the summary protocols in more than 350 cases. “GYLA demands recounting of data of all polling stations in the Isani district. The reason for such a demand is a circumstance, which has revealed various types of discrepancies in 4 cases at 5 recounted polling stations in the Isani district randomly selected in accordance with the obligation stipulated by law”. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. On 2 October, local elections took place in Georgia. The European Union commends the Georgian citizens for exercising their democratic right to vote in these elections, as well as the dedicated electoral staff and observers, considering the challenging context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We welcome the fact that a full-fledged International Election Observation Mission was deployed.  “This mission concluded that the elections were generally well administered – though characterised by hardened polarisation –, that contestants were able to campaign freely in a competitive environment, and that the Election Day proceeded in an orderly and transparent manner. It also highlighted important shortcomings, notably widespread and consistent allegations of intimidation, vote-buying, pressure on candidates and voters and an unlevel playing field. In addition, the significant imbalance in resources and an undue advantage of incumbency further benefited the ruling party. Underrepresentation of women in the campaign demonstrates a need for greater commitment to ensure adequate representation in politics”. Read more… Source: eeas.europa.eu