PM Vano Merabishvili met with acting interior minister Eka Zguladze and other leadership of the ministry on September 21 and told them to prevent any violence ahead, during and after the October 1 parliamentary elections.

“Now the major task for our country is to hold free and fair elections. No free and fair elections will be held if there is violence. Hold of elections without violence should be secured by the Interior Ministry; it has resources and experience to do that. The Georgian police have confirmed for multiple times that they are able to prevent violence and to secure free choice of the Georgian citizens,” Merabishvili said.

He also told the Interior Ministry leadership to spare no efforts to secure that there is no violence in remaining ten days before the election day, as well as during the vote and in post-election period.

PM also said that “reorganization” of the penitentiary system was now ongoing and the patrol police were staying in prisons as the process of recruiting new prison guards was underway.