Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia monitored the 31 October 2020 parliamentary elections with some 600 local observers. “The analysis of the 170 violations that we recorded and the 46 complaints that we filed makes it clear that the 31 October elections were a step back compared with the 2016 parliamentary elections. The election day was marked by physical confrontations outside the polling stations, obstruction of the work of observers and journalists, including physical attacks on journalists and damaging of their property, violation of the secrecy of vote in the polling stations, alleged instances of bribing of the voters, and other significant and relatively insignificant violations”, is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. In the opinion of the GYLA, the day of the parliamentary elections of 31 October 2020 passed with significant shortcomings at every stage of the polling day. “The tense atmosphere during the day affected both voter behavior and the monitoring of the process itself. Violence and problems related to free expression of voters’ will are among the leading characteristics of yesterday’s elections. Added to this is the disorganization of precinct election commissions (PECs), including in the area of enforcement of the rules issued to contain the pandemic”. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia (TI Georgia) will deploy 600 observers to monitor the parliamentary elections on October 31, 2020. Our static observers will cover 400 precincts throughout Tbilisi. In addition, 100 mobile groups are mobilized to observe the elections. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association has been monitoring pre-election processes within the framework of the long-term observation mission and with the assistance of its 9 regional monitors in Tbilisi, Adjara, Guria, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Imereti, Shida and Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, and Kakheti. “The third interim report on the 2020 parliamentary elections covers violations revealed from October 1 to October 26 or malpractice cases. Overall, observers of GYLA revealed: - 1 case of neglect of a demand regarding separation of the state and the ruling party; - 1 case of use of administrative resources; - 2 cases of voter bribery; - 8 cases of pressure and violent acts, both alleged and confirmed; - 2 cases of obstruction of the pre-election campaign”. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) publishes an assessment of visions that parties have in regard to combating homelessness. “Unfortunately, a significant part of political parties does not talk about homeless groups, other than those displaced, and specific ways to empower them”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia publishes an interim report on funding of the 2020 election campaign of the Parliament of Georgia. According to one of the findings, it turned out that “companies, affiliated with donors of the ruling party, won tenders worth about GEL 47 million in 2020 (before October 1), in return these donors contributed GEL 1.3 million in favor of the “Georgian Dream” during the same period. Especially noteworthy in this regard is G&K Teknologi Ltd., which won tenders worth GEL 17.2 million during the year, while Roman Abramishvili, its owner, contributed GEL 60,000 to the “Georgian Dream”. Another major state contractor is L&K Ltd., which won tenders worth GEL 8.1 million in 2020, while its owners contributed GEL 22,000 to the ruling party”. Read more… Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) publishes an assessment of social policy in pre-election visions of parties. “Despite the fact that labor rights are massively violated in Georgia, it can be said that this issue is not considered as a problem in pre-election programs of most political parties and, respectively, no promise or vision is proposed to voters to resolve it”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, and the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics publish a joint assessment of the pre-election environment for the 2020 parliamentary elections. “The pre-election environment as well as preparations for the Election Day have been significantly affected by the widespread of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic and challenges posed by it. With the elections approaching, the number of those infected with the virus has increased dramatically, thus causing the preliminarily existing structure of the healthcare system for registration of infected and isolated people to become vague, while the attempts of the Central Election Commission, to regulate this issue via adoption of a decree two weeks prior to the elections, to appear insufficient. Besides, there have been revealed problems related to proper update of voters and correct communication with public. Due to these circumstances, the issue of exercising the right to vote of thousands of voters has been questioned”, - is stated in the joint assessment. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) publishes an evaluation of a lawmaking activity of the Parliament of the 9th convocation in the field of justice. “The parliament of the 9th convocation completed its work so that fundamental challenges in the field of justice remained mostly unresolved. In particular, the legislative body failed to: eradicate a clan management practice from the judiciary system over the past four years; create a legislative framework, which would ensure political neutrality of both police and prosecution; substantially change criminal justice policies, furthermore, punishment oriented drug policy has been retained. Besides, the security service, furnished with uncontrolled and excess power, remained as a problem”, - is stated in the evaluation of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

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Tbilisi. IDFI became a Regional Hub for Central Asia and Eastern Europe in the Global Data Barometer (GDB), which is a global index study of data for the public good that builds on the foundation of the Open Data Barometer.  “Regional hubs connect GDB and each other with stakeholders around the world involved in data for public good, data for development, open data, good governance, open government, and transparency and accountability. Over the long-run, GDB aims to establish a strong network across regional hubs, and support organizations to develop as ‘Centers of Excellence’ in the collection, measurement, and use of data for public good”, is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) publishes an evaluation: Drug policy in pre-election visions of parties - 2020. “In general, it should be mentioned that in the pre-election context, the issue of drug policy is in fact ignored and public discussions about it take place rather in exceptional cases. While in pre-election programs and visions this topic is presented in a very fragmentary way”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) publishes an evaluation: Justice related issues in pre-election programs of parties - 2020. “The document contains a review of visions and strategies of parties in regard to reforms to be carried out in the judiciary system, solution of problems that exist at law enforcement agencies, reformation of the State Security Service and drug policy issues. The common challenge is deficit of ideas consolidated by argumentative, realistic and specific plans on listed issues”, - is stated in the document. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. On October 21, 2020, the Public Defender of Georgia addressed the Prosecutor General of Georgia with a proposal to launch an investigation into the alleged persecution of the employees of the Public Broadcaster Adjara Television and Radio. “Examination of the circumstances of the case revealed that the employees of the Adjara TV were persecuted for their different opinions, in particular, for openly expressing critical views on the decisions made by the management”. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. On October 26, Economic Policy Research Center hosted a meeting with the Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia - Ekaterine Tikaradze. The meeting discussed the new challenges facing the Georgian healthcare system as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, possible ways to solve them and the recommendations prepared by the healthcare task force. Read more… Source: The organization’s page in the social network

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Tbilisi. As Transparency International Georgia informs, the CEC has extended the deadline for registration of self-isolated voters or those undergoing home treatment due to COVID-19 in the special portable box list until 14:00, October 27, which is appreciable, however, voters face a number of bureaucratic barriers, while the fact itself indicated defectiveness of the process. Read more… Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) publishes an analysis of rights of ethnic minorities in pre-election visions of parties. “Most of the publicly released programs, with the exception of those of European Georgia and Lelo, do not single out an issue of non-dominant ethnic groups as a separate article or paragraph. Analysis of pre-election programs of political parties makes it clear that parties are often unaware of needs, concerns, and challenges of non-dominant ethnic groups in depth. Pre-election programs often reveal conventional and superficial visions of parties on issues related to protection of rights of non-dominant ethnic groups and their participation in public, as well as political life. In this context, attempts of several parties, to apply different narratives and texts, are noteworthy. However, it should also be noted that their programs are fragmented and artificial”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information publishes legal analysis: Covid-19 and Sanctions: Systemic problem of constitutionality. “The Parliament of Georgia undermines its constitutional mandate and thus puts the constitutionality of the measures of responsibility introduced for preventing the spread of Covid-19 under question”, is noted in the document.  Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia publishes a report: Brief analysis of the draft state budget of Georgia for 2020 and recommendations.  •On the background of aggravation of the pandemic, the ongoing war in the region and reduced foreign investments, it is more feasible if the government plans the budget for a lower rate of economic growth; •In the part of expenditures of the budget, non-allocation of funds necessary for reduction of harm caused by the “Coronavirus” makes the budget unrealistic. The government must ensure that the budget covers increased medical expenses, as well as costs of quarantine and other relevant measures; •Insufficient funds are allocated for the Universal Health Care Program. The ministry must increase the amount of funds allocated for 2021 significantly, otherwise it will have to limit financing of medical services”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. On October 26, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) presented the II interim report on pre-election monitoring of social media in the context of the 2020 elections of the Parliament of Georgia. “Sites that promote public polarization on issues related to values are actively involved in the pre-election campaign in favor of political actors having pro-Russian disposition. 69 sites, manipulating values related topics, lead agitation in favor of the following election subjects: “Alliance of Patriots”, “Georgian March”, “Georgian Idea”, Dimitri Lortkipanidze, Director of the Primakov Foundation, a majoritarian candidate from Didube-Chugureti district, and Zviad Tomaradze, a majoritarian candidate from Gldani district. They also spread anti-liberal, anti-Western, xenophobic or homophobic sentiments. The same applies to pro-Russian narratives. Political discrediting campaigns carried out on unofficial, anonymous and fake media sites of Facebook have also been continued intensively”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: isfed.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) publishes a blog post: Conflict regions and human rights in pre-election visions of political parties - 2020. “The issue of restoring territorial integrity and resolving the conflict has not been left out of pre-election campaigns of political parties, however, they are unable to offer us: Essentially new, transformational approaches that give birth to gradual and realistic visions of conflict resolution. Parties still find it difficult to offer groundbreaking initiatives for resolving the conflict. They have not properly realized reasons for success or failure of such mechanisms in previous years, constantly changing political contexts and attitudes within the occupied territories. They fail to offer us mechanisms, which they are intending to apply to protect human rights at the occupied territories, neither they have a vision for introduction of respective international mechanisms”, - is stated in the document. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge