Working hours: Mon-Fri (10:00 - 18:00)

Georgian Elections 2017: Newsletter #1, June-July

2017-08-25 11:32
Featured image

Despite the fact that the election campaign has not yet officially started, due to the existing political context, on June 1 the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) started the pre-election monitoring of the 2017 local self-government elections. The GYLA is observing the pre-election period through its head office in Tbilisi and regional offices in eight regions of Georgia: Adjara, Guria, Imereti, Shida Kartli, Kvemo Kartli, Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, and Samegrelo. The aim of the monitoring, which 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”, is to contribute to the introduction of objective, fair, independent and effective investigations, fair trial, and uniform practice and to ensure the promotion of inclusive and competitive electoral environment for women, persons with disabilities, and ethnic minorities. The project also aims to promote transparent electoral processes, in particular, to inform citizens of Georgia and the international community of violations and trends related to the 2017 local self-government elections and to turn their attention to the shortcomings accompanying electoral processes, as well as to identify problems in the electoral legislation and to advocate relevant legislative changes after the elections are over. In the case of identifying violations, the organization submits the relevant information or complaints to the Election Administration, the Interagency Commission for Free and Fair Elections, the State Audit Office, and other relevant agencies with the aim of ensuring response provided for by law.