Tbilisi. With support of USAID and IFES, the Journalist Network for Gender Equality implements project "Elect the City Mayor". The projects aims at improving the democratic nature and quality of the 2014 local self-government and mayor elections through increased participation of informed and aware voters. The project envisages informing the voters and raising their awareness on the mayor candidates, their agendas, visions and attitudes. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Election Environment Development Center was observing the elections of Chairman of the Georgian National Communications Commission on May 19. This was the first case of electing the Chairman of the National Communications Commission by the Commission members themselves. Prior to that, the agency's head was appointed by the President. Observers of the Election Environment Development Center have assessed the elections positively. Source: the Election Environment Development Center.

Imereti. A media center will operate in the Kutaisi Civic Engagement Center during the pre-election period and one week after the elections. To effectively cover the local self-government elections, the Center's work will be carried out in three stages."The first stage will be fully dedicated to a pre-election period, where journalists will have an opportunity to ask questions to entities participating in the elections," - said the Coordinator of the Civic Engagement Center Keti Tsibadze.As for the second stage, on the polling day journalists will be able to receive official information on the preliminary election results by districts and cities throughout the whole day.Third stage includes a one-week post-election period and journalists will receive information prior to the announcement of the final election results.

Tbilisi. CSO "Social Protection League" implements a project aimed at facilitating the participation in elections of persons with disabilities in wheelchairs living in the country without any barriers.The project titled "Increased Participation of Persons with Disabilities in the 2014 Local Elections and Informing Voters about Adapted Election Precincts" aims to describe the adapted election precincts countrywide, and namely in Kvemo Kartli, Shida Kartli, Kakheti, Tbilisi, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Imereti, Guria, Samegrelo and Adjara.As part of the project, the new language - Russian - will be added for the ethnic minorities to the web site created by the organization (www.pandusgeorgia.com). Further, information will be posted on an online map about ramped election precincts.The project is implemented with funding from the Election Administration of Georgia and the Center of Electoral Systems Development, Reforms and Training.

Tbilisi. On May 16, 2014, the Central Election Commission (CEC) considered the complaint submitted by GYLA, which related to the alleged fact of use of the administrative resource by the Tbilisi Mayor’s Office. Verbal hearing resulted in CEC upholding GYLA’s complaint. For the full text Source:gyla.ge

Imereti. The Gender Equality Netowork has organized a meeting in Kutaisi in support of women candidates running in the local self-government elections. At the meeting in an active dialogue regime women candidates have presented their agendas and the future plans.Single-seat women candidates of political parties and initiative groups in the Imereti Region, candidates to the Kutaisi Mayor and representatives of various public groups have attended the meeting. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The "International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy” is delivering trainings for short-term observers from May 13 to June 3. Two-day trainings are held in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi, Zugdidi, Akhaltsikhe, Gori, Telavi and Gurjaani.Over this period up to 1100 short-term observers from all municipalities and the self-governing cities of Georgia will be trained. During the two-day trainings the observers will get familiar with the observers’ key principles and rights. In addition, they will be informed about the polling day procedures. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. A meeting was organized on May14 with the CSO and media representatives at the initiative of the CEC and with support of the International Foundation of Electoral Systems. The CEC Chair has informed the participants about pending activities of the Commission. Tamar Zhvania has provided the participants with important information on the statistical data. Workshops with media and CSOs are organized periodically. Source: page of the Election Environment Development Center in the social network.

The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) held 9 roundtables throughout Georgia in the following municipalities: Tbilisi, Rustavi, Gori, Telavi, Gurjaani, Sagarejo, Kutaisi, Batumi and Ozurgeti, with financial support from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the US Assistance for International Development (USAID).  The purpose of the roundtables was to discuss key new regulations introduced in the Election Code of Georgia in 2014 with representatives of political parties, civil society, local self-government, media, representatives of the election administration and other stakeholders. The roundtable focused on the following topics: setting up the second inter-factional task force and its work; NGO recommendations; the election system and threshold in Mayor/Gamgebeli elections; key new regulations introduced in the Election Code – their positive and negative aspects. During the meeting participants were able to ask questions to representatives of the organization and express their advice/recommendations about future changes in the election legislation.  Source:isfed.ge

Tbilisi. GYLA’s released a road map "Media and Elections 2014”. The road map enables journalists and media outlets to receive information on spreading the data about 2014 Elections. The Road map Source:the organization's page in the social network

Kakheti. CSO representatives have met with the Public Defender. Meeting participants have discussed various problems prevailing in the region. According to the Kakheti Regional Coordinator of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy Nana Devidze, the meeting has focused on the pre-election environment in the region and the pre-election violations reported in the region.

Tbilisi. The Centre for Human Rights Studies and Monitoring with the help of EU implements a five-month-long project "Support for Female Politicians on Local Non-Governmental Level”. Within the framework of the project two trainings will be held for 50 female candidates. For the full text Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi.On May 5th in Public Service Hall an inter-committee session for free and fare elections.  The session was attended by politicians and NGO representatives. For the full text Source: Centre for the Development of Elections Environment.

Tbilisi. On May 5 CSOs have executed the Memorandum together with the Central Election Commission and the Inter-Agency Commission for Free and Fair Elections. The signatory parties agreed to interpret regulations set by the Election Code on the use of administrative resources during the election period pursuant to the text of the Memorandum. Throughout the administrative and judicial proceedings the signatory organizations will be guided by the definitions set by the Memorandum. Source: web page of the Young Lawyers' Association in the social network.

Tbilisi. Training on election issues was delivered on April 27 for the CSO representatives. Training is organized by the Central Election Commission and the Center of Electoral Systems Development, Reforms and Training, with support of the UN Development Program (UNDP). Training included 29 representatives of 10 CSOs that according to the last election data have been involved in election processes with an observer's status. Representatives of the Training Center and the CEC's Legal Department have informed training participants about legislative updates, polling day procedures, the observers' rights, and issues related to election disputes and applications-complaints. Source: Election Environment Development Center.

Tbilisi. A meeting was organized with the CSO and media representatives on April 24 at the initiative of the Central Election Commission and with the support of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). Together with the Commission members, the CEC Chairwoman has informed the participants about activities that the election administration implements in connection with the self-government elections. Meeting participants have discussed various urgent pre-election issues as well, following which the civil sector representatives have presented their recommendations. Source: Election Environment Development Center.

Kakheti. Pre-election environment and amendments made to the Election Code were discussed in the Telavi Civic Engagement Center.The meeting organized by the Telavi Office of the "Georgian Young Lawyers' Association" was attended by interested persons and representatives of CSOs, initiative groups and political parties.MarekhMgaloblishvili, head of GYLA'sTelavi Office: "The meeting aimed to inform public about their role in the pre-election processes in order to avoid serious violations during the pre-election period as well as on the polling day."

Tbilisi. On April 24, the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) released its first interim report of the monitoring of June 14, 2014 local self-government elections of Georgia. ISFED is carrying out the monitoring in all election districts of Georgia by means of 73 long-term observers (LTOs), who have undergone previous adequate preparation and training for the monitoring. For the full text Source:isfed.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association has already started the 2014 Local Self-Government Pre-Election Observation. GYLA implements the observation through the regional branch offices in 8 regions: Adjara, Guria, Imereti, Shida Kartli, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Samegrelo and in the capital - Tbilisi. The goal of the observation is to support fair and transparent electoral processes; to ensure that the election administration members, electoral subjects and the public servants abide by the electoral legislation and the internationally recognized democratic standards during the pre-election period.  In addition, GYLA aims at informing the citizens of Georgia and the international community of the shortcomings and violations relating to the 2014 Local Self-Government pre-election processes. For the full text Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Starting from April 15, media monitoring of pre-election period of the self-government elections planned in June will launch. "Internews Georgia”, "Caucasus Research Resource Center” and the "Civil Development Institute” will observe 39 media outlets, including: 8 television channels, 12 radio stations, 7 newspapers and 12 online editions.The project is implemented with support of the EU and the UN Development Program. Monitoring results will be periodically published on the web page mediamonitor.ge. Source: media.ge

Mtkheta-Mtianeti. On April 14th the NGO "We – For Healthier Future” held a meeting for the members of "Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia”. Source:the organization's page in the social network

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia has released a statement in the social network. "We would like to echo and positively evaluate Prime Minister Gharibashvili's appeal to law-enforcing agencies on refraining from detention of persons involved in the campaign during the pre-election period. We find that giving an opportunity to all candidates and political parties to carry out their campaign without obstacles is important for holding the pre-election process in the country in the peaceful environment," says the statement. Source: the organization's page in the social network.