Tbilisi. Representation of women in political institutions is a challenge for Georgia. Transparency International Georgia presents information on representation of women in Imereti, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and Adjara municipal assemblies. "Based on the results of October 21st 2017 local election, representation of women in Imereti, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and Adjara municipal halls increased - if previous elections in these three regions 9.9% of all mandates were allocated to women, this number increased to 12.7% in the October 21st 2017 elections”, - The organization mentions, - "Despite the fact that representation of women in 28 municipalities of all three researched regions increased by 3% points, political engagement of women in local representative institutions remains a significant challenge”. In full  Source: The organization’s webpage

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association publishes a summary statement regarding the second round of the 2017 local self-government elections in Georgia. According to the statement, the polling process was mainly carried out in a peaceful environment. The only exception was Khashuri, where an incident took place between supporters of "Georgian Dream”, a political party, and an independent candidate at the end of the day. Read more... Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. The GYLA is releasing the initial results of examination of electoral disputes during the 2017 local self-government elections. ''According to the data we have analyzed, the complaints filed by the GYLA’s observers during the first round – on the polling day and during the post-election period – dealt with the following: processing of personal information of voters by representatives of electoral subjects; inappropriate exercise of rights and violations of lot-casting procedures by members of election commissions; violations related to polling procedures; restriction of observers’ rights'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Runoffs of the 21 October 2017 local self-government elections will be held on November 12, in districts of Kutaisi, Ozurgeti, Borjomi, Khashuri, Martvili and Kazbegi. The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) was monitoring the election campaign process in all six districts through its long-term observers (LTOs). ''The monitoring found that the period between the first and the second round of local self-government elections was marked by instances of harassment/intimidation on political grounds and misuse of administrative resources in Ozurgeti, which threaten equal and free pre-election environment'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: www.isfed.ge

Tbilisi. Observer organizations call on law enforcement agencies to get interested in actions of Tianeti District and # 20 Precinct Election Commissions. ''After the court declared two resolutions of the Tianeti District Election Commission void, lawfulness of actions of members of the Commission should become a subject to investigation in order to clarify whether their actions were criminal'' – is noted in the statement. Read more... Source:www.isfed.ge

Tbilisi. With the support of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA) Tamaz Mechiauri has won a court trial. ''Based on decision of the first instance of Mtskheta court, Mechiauri will become the Mayor of Tianeti'' – is stated on the website of the organization in a social network. Read more… Source:The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. According to the information of International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), a repeated voting should be conducted at the Tianeti polling station #20. The Tianeti District Election Commission opened a sealed package of faulty ballot papers and declared them valid. As a result, a Mayoral candidate of Georgian Dream has won in Tianeti Self-governing Community. The organization considers that such an action casts doubt on results of the Mayoral elections in the given district and indicates necessity of a repeated voting. Read more... Source: www.isfed.ge

Tbilisi. On October 21, 2017, representatives of the Public Defender observed the local self-government elections of mayors and local councils in the 64 municipalities of Georgia. Monitoring showed that the elections took place mainly in a peaceful situation, but there were certain violations and problematic issues. In full  Source: The organization’s webpage

Tbilisi. ‘Transparency International Georgia’ mentions, that the 2017 local self-government elections were held in a largely peaceful environment, without serious incidents, nevertheless, the election day showed a new problematic trend related to the control over the free expression of the will of voters. ‘Our observers reported up to 160 insignificant and relatively serious violations. Nearly ⅔ of the registered complaints related to the recording of voter data in the precinct buildings. In total, we filed 114 complaints, 106 of which relate to illegal recording of voter data’ – marks TI. In full  Source: The organization’s webpage

Tbilisi. By GYLA’s conclusion, the electoral process throughout the country was mostly peaceful, without violent incidents. However, a number of violations were revealed, beyond merely procedural violations. Throughout the election day, GYLA observers lodged 147 complaints (66 of which – to the district election commissions) and 162 remarks to the logbooks. In full Source: The organization’s webpage

Tbilisi. The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) published results of voting process and closing of polling stations. The organization was monitoring the October 21, 2017 local self-government elections in all electoral districts across Georgia. ‘Based on the analysis of the information received through PVT, ISFED concludes that the voting process was conducted without significant violations in the majority of polling stations across Georgia. However, throughout the voting process Marneuli electoral district remained as the most problematic one. ISFED observers detected widespread cases of significant violations in ten polling stations of Marneuli district. Violations tended to be repetitive at the polling stations #31, #18 and #50. ISFED observation detected irregularities at ten polling stations in Rustavi as well’, - mentioned ISFED. In full  Source: the organization’s webpage

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy and Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA) appraise a pre-election environment. ''A pre-election period was basically running in peaceful circumstances and activity of political parties was noticeable. ... Although violent incidents did not take place extensively, cases of pressure and threat significantly increased along with the election day approaching'' – is stated on the website of Transparency International Georgia. Read more… Source:www.transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia is echoing the attack on the Georgian Dream's headquarters in the village of Kizilajlo, Marneuli municipality, on October 19, 2017, during which, a municipal council’s majoritarian candidate, a member of the municipal council and his family member were wounded. ''Ucha Nanuashvili calls on the election entities and voters to keep calm and states that violence during the election process is inadmissible. It is especially alarming that such a serious fact occurred two days before the elections. The Public Defender wishes the wounded persons to recover soon and hopes that investigation will be conducted efficiently, which will answer all questions'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia prepared an interim report concerning the political party finances in the 2017 local elections. ''According to this research, from June 1 to October 1, Georgian Dream – the ruling party - received 93% of all donations. In total, the ruling party received 10,319,998 GEL, which is 12 times more than the total amount received by the other 14 qualified electoral subjects. In addition to finding that the ruling party received significantly more money, the research also examined the origins of donations and potential risks of political corruption'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: www.transparency.ge

Tbilisi. ''Transparency International Georgia'' publishes mid-term results of a monitoring of the use of administrative resources. By observation of the organization, there have been revealed several negative trends in terms of the use of administrative resources. Among them, involvement of the staff, employed at budgetary organizations, into the election campaign is particularly problematic. Read more... Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. On October 16, the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) conducted a simulation of the Election Day with the aim of ensuring high-quality monitoring of the local self-government elections. ''Today’s simulation is part of ISFED’s pre-election preparations, aiming at testing observers, operators of the central office, the database and the network of connections. On the Election Day of October 21, nearly 1200 short-term observers (STOs) of ISFED will monitor the course of the elections using the Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) methodology. These STOs will include 350 observers positioned across Tbilisi in polling stations identified by random sampling, and more than 300 observers positioned across the country in polling stations also identified by random sampling. In addition, ISFED observers will be present in all polling stations of Kutaisi, Batumi, Poti, Rustavi, Marneuli and Akhaltsikhe. ISFED conducts the Election Day monitoring mission for the local self-government elections with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED)'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: www.isfed.ge

Kvemo Kartli. Part of civil society organizations respond to developments that took place in an election district of a Tetritskaro municipality. The case is concerning the refusal of all candidates of ''Bakradze, Ugulava - European Georgia'' to participate in the elections. According to the information of ''European Georgia'', there are also other municipalities where cases of reconvincing, in some instances - threatening candidates have taken place in order to intimidate them into withdrawing from the registration. ''Such facts are unacceptable and, in case of confirmation, they will discredit a peaceful, equal, fair and competitive electoral environment'' – is noted in the statement. Read more... Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. Following to recommendations of the organization "Partnership for Human Rights” (PHR), CEC has made changes into a training module for members of a Precinct Election Commission in order to protect etiquette of conversation and norms of conduct with disabled voters. Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. ''Transparency International Georgia'' presents information regarding Mayoral candidates, nominated by qualified election subjects in Imereti municipalities, and the first nominees in lists of parties for the elections of local Assemblies. The information is based on data of the Public Registry and analysis of property declarations filled by certain candidates. Read more… Source:www.transparency.ge

Tbilisi. "Transparency International Georgia” (TI) has created a website Chemikhma.ge. The purpose of the website is to help citizens of Georgia make their desired choice in the 2017 elections of a mayor of Tbilisi. Read more… Source:www.transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The GYLA presents Newsletter #3 – results of observing the pre-election period in Georgia. The monitoring is being carried out in the framework of the USAID-supported project "Promoting More Competitive, Fair and Inclusive Electoral Environment for the 2016-2018 Electoral Cycle in Georgia”, in eight regions of Georgia: Adjara, Guria, Imereti, Shida Kartli, Kvemo Kartli, Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, and Samegrelo. The new newsletter includes information about: attack on campaign headquarters; case of alleged unlawful detention; committee discussions of the draft law on gender quotas, so on. In full  Source: The organization’s website

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA) publishes answers to frequently asked questions. See the full document... Source:gyla.ge