About Civil.ge
Eng | Geo | Rus
Last updated: 10:55 - 1 May.'18
RSS
Mobile
Twitter
Facebook
OSCE Election Observers' Interim Report
Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 15 Oct.'13 / 13:31

Campaign ahead of the October 27 presidential election is seen through the prism of the last year’s parliamentary election and “is notably calmer”, a long-term election observation mission from OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in its interim report citing its interlocutors.

“However, from the beginning, the campaign atmosphere has been marked by a tense cohabitation between the governing coalition, the Georgian Dream (GD), and the parliamentary opposition party, the UNM, and their respective leaders. This was compounded by arrests and pre-trial detention of several UNM officials, including its Secretary General [former PM and interior minister Vano Merabishvili],” according to the report, covering a period between September 19-October 11.

Noting “major political changes” that have taken place at the local level since the 2012 elections, the report says that the campaign environment “has been negatively impacted by allegations of political pressure on UNM representatives at local self-governmental institutions.”

According to the report the campaigning is so far “low key” and the majority of the candidates were slower to begin campaigning, but the number of rallies has increased since the end of September with Giorgi Margvelashvili of GD; Davit Bakradze of the UNM and Nino Burjanadze, the leader of Democratic Movement-United Georgia party, among the most visible candidates

“Electoral programmes detail economic and social measures, including increasing salaries, decreasing unemployment, and improving health care services. The announcement by the prime minister of a one billion USD private donation to a Georgian co-investment fund has also been highlighted at GD rallies. Most candidates also call for a ‘restoration of justice’ after nine years under the previous government. Future relations with Russian Federation and territorial integrity are also issues in the campaign,” the report says.

On election administration, the report says that the Central Election Commission (CEC) “operates in a transparent and efficient manner.”

According to the report, some interlocutors of OSCE observers expressed concern over “low level of oversight” by the State Audit Office, the state agency in charge of monitoring political parties’ finances and donations. The State Audit Office was previously criticized by international observers for applying its “discretionary” powers “disproportionately” against opposition and its donors in the lead up to the October 2012 parliamentary elections. The legal framework regulating party and campaign finance was amended in August, 2013 to address major issues raised following the last year’s parliamentary elections.

On the media environment, the report says it is “considered less polarized” than during the 2012 parliamentary elections and “journalists are noted as covering major political events in a more inclusive fashion.” The report, however, says that “critical analysis and analytical reporting is still lacking.”

Latest News
01 May.'18 10:55
We Have Moved to a New Platform
Direct Your Bookmarks to https://civil.ge.
29 Apr.'18 03:54
Ruling Party Candidate Wins MP By-Elections
Givi Chichinadze will represent Vani and Khoni single-mandate constituency in the Parliament of Georgia.
28 Apr.'18 09:40
Polls Open for Vani and Khoni MP By-Elections
48,123 voters are eligible to cast their ballots in Vani and Khoni single-mandate constituency.
27 Apr.'18 17:23
State Dept’s Europe Affairs Point Man to Visit Tbilisi
Wess Mitchell will meet senior government officials and address the NATO-Georgia Public Diplomacy Forum.
27 Apr.'18 13:45
In Quotes: Georgian Politicians on Ex-PM Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Comeback
Bidzina Ivanishvili will be approved as the Georgian Dream party chairman at the upcoming convention.
26 Apr.'18 18:15
SG Jens Stoltenberg: Georgia NATO’s ‘Very Close’ Partner
The NATO Secretary General says Foreign Ministers meeting tomorrow will recognize the country’s progress.
26 Apr.'18 14:24
Ex-PM Ivanishvili to Chair Georgian Dream Party
Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said Ivanishvili was ‘best equipped’ to add new dynamism to the party.
26 Apr.'18 11:12
Lawmaker Proposes Criminal Liability for ‘Insult of Religious Feelings’
The parliamentary human rights committee decided to set up a working group for scrutinizing the draft law.
25 Apr.'18 17:21
New Abkhaz Government Head Appointed
Gennady Gagulia has served as the Abkhaz “prime minister” twice - in 1995-1997, and 2002-2003.
25 Apr.'18 14:43
Watchdog Improves Georgia’s Press Freedom Ranking
None of the countries of the former Soviet Union (except the Baltics) are ranked ahead of Georgia.

About Civil Georgia
Civil.Ge © 2001-2024, Daily News Online
Registered office: 2 Dolidze Str, 4-th Floor.
11