NGOs Assessment of Pre-Election Period

Local organizations that will be observing upcoming parliamentary elections have established a media center and during a press conference the assessed the pre-election period in the run-up to Georgian Parliamentary Elections on May 21, 2008.

The founders of the media-center-“New Generation-New Initiative,” “Transparency International-Georgia,” “International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy,” and Georgian Young Lawyers Association”- will be carryout the monitoring for the parliamentary elections independently. Interim reports of the media center provided detailed information about the violations observed during the pre-election period. The reports were published in the last several weeks.

Tamar Karosanidze, the director of the Transparency International Georgia told how the reports of the media centre emphasis the main violations that have been observed,  such as participation of public officials in the pre-election campaign of the candidates from the ruling National Party.
Regional governors have been especially active in the campaigns because almost every single mandate candidate of the ruling party has been introduced to locals by the governors. In spite of the fact that such a practice is strictly prohibited under the election legislation, candidates are trying to gain the support of voters by providing material support and making lots of campaign promises.

Tamar Karosanidze stated there is no real difference between the ruling National Party and the Georgian government. It is much the same, and just  like all what transpired with the presidential elections of January 5, 2008,  there have also been many occasions during the pre-election campaign of the parliamentary elections where the same methods were used to gain support. Candidates from the ruling party are accompanied by the party’s membership as various projects are introduced. There are public projects that are funded from the national budget. In addition to such a practices, public officials have been active in repressing public school teachers, single mandate candidates standing for MP seats from the opposition parties, businesspersons and local election observers.

The Media Center provided the information about the collection of ID numbers of people which will be later used as a psychological ploy with voters. The reports also discussed several cases when opposition parties used more aggressive methods in their protests.

Non-governmental organizations are demanding that the election administration have to accept and discuss all reasonable and legal complaints associated to violations and to respond based on the election law. 

Source: Medianews