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Pre-Election Campaign Officially Started in Georgia

July 2, 2013
 
Interpresnews 

On July 1, Mikheil Saakashvili signed an order to hold Presidential Elections on October 31, 2013. Pre-election campaign/agitation starts from the moment of setting the date of Election. According to this law candidates of electoral subject have equal opportunities from this very moment.

As of the day of the announcement of elections, candidates of becoming electoral subjects shall have the right to produce election slogans, statements, inscriptions, leaflets, photo materials, etc. It is prohibited to prevent their dissemination and to expropriate them, as well as to expropriate automobile transport and other means used for agitation purposes, or to prevent their use for pre-election agitation purposes.

Hence, election subjects and their supporters can announce program of their future activities. The election program shall not contain the propaganda of the war and violence, calls to overthrow constitutional system and replace it in violent manner, calls made against human rights and freedoms, independence and the territorial integrity of the country, fostering citizen, ethnic, regional, religious and social hatred.

Any person, with the exception of members of election commissions, judges, public officials of the Ministries of Internal Affairs and Defense, Special Service of International Intelligence and State Security, Office of Public Prosecutor, aliens and foreign organizations, charity and religious organizations, public officials of bodies of State and local self-government, shall have the right to perform and take part in pre-election agitation. It is prohibited to conduct pre-election campaign in the buildings of the following institutions: bodies of executive authority, courts and military units.

Bodies of local self-government and government are obliged to support electoral subjects in organizing and holding meetings and assemblies with voters, public debates and discussions, rallies and manifestations and to ensure the safety of these events.

Pre-election agitation is prohibited in the polling station on the Election Day.

The presidential candidates from leading political unions are already known. Candidate of the ruling coalition Georgian Dream is Giorgi Margvelashvili. United National Movement has not yet selected their concrete candidate; they are carrying out a primer and intends to elect one from four leaders.

For the purpose of nominating a candidate for the Presidency of Georgia, a party or voters' initiative group must address the CEC with an application, no later than 50 days before the polling day. 

By the order of the CEC, a candidate for the presidency of Georgia of Georgia is registered no later than the 30 days before the elections.

A candidate may withdraw no later than 10 days before the polling day by submitting a relevant statement to the corresponding district election commission.

Constitution of Georgia and election law set next presidential election in October of 2013. Also, the Constitution and Election Code allow the president to announce the Election Day no later than 60 days before the election. However, the President did not wait for the expiration of this deadline and fixed the day almost four months before the Election Day.

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