Opposition Parties Assigned Their Seats in the Election Commissions to the National Movement
May 5, 2010
Nini Topuridze
Participation of the opposition parties in the election commissions is particularly important for the impartial and fair elections and it is regulated by the Election Code of Georgia. The coordinators of the Human Rights Center and the correspondents of the humanrights.ge report from almost every region of Georgia that representatives of the National Movement occupy the seats of the opposition parties in the election commissions. As it was found out, the members of the political parties “By Ourselves” and “Entrepreneurs” give their seats to the ruling party very willingly.
“The elections are already rigged in Tsageri district,” said the single mandate MP from Tsageri district Karlo Kopaliani. He represented the Republic Party during the last parliamentary elections. Currently, he is independent MP. Kopaliani blames the “Entrepreneurs” and “By Ourselves” in selling their mandates in the election commission to the National Movement. However, he did not clarify the meaning of the “selling” – did they take money for their mandates or made some kind of deal. The MP became more convinced in his allegation after his meeting with the leader of the “Entrepreneurs” Zurab Tkemaladze.
“I, as a MP from Tsageri district and of course I am interested in the fair and transparent elections in Tsageri district. I met Zurab Tkemaladze for the purpose. I knew that the “Entrepreneurs” do not have their office in Tsageri and wanted to offer them my help. During the meeting, Tkemaladze told me that his friend Zurab Chkhetiani was going to monitor the election process in Tsageri district. You know that Tsageri is a very small town and I met there Zurab Chkhetiani who is very ill. Zurab Tkemaladze had not got in touch with him at all and consequently, had not agreed anything. I am sure, the “Entrepreneurs” assigned their mandates to the National Movement in the district,” said Karlo Kopaliani.
Quotas of the opposition parties in the central, regional and district election commissions have principle meaning. There are 13 members in each election commission from 7 political parties (these parties have overcome 5% barrier during the previous elections) and 6 selected members. Six out of the seven parties are opposition parties: Conservative Party, Entrepreneurs, By Ourselves, Labor Party, Christian Democrats and Republic Party. Each party has one representative in the election commission: the chairperson, deputy chairperson and secretary of the commission. The rest three people are selected according to their professions. In accordance to the election law, the secretary of the commission shall be from the opposition party and the candidate is selected based on the agreement between the opposition parties. It is one more chance for the opposition to control the election process.
Karlo Kopaliani claims that two parties – “Entrepreneurs” and “By Ourselves” have already sold all their mandates in the election commission in Tsageri district. The MP cannot clarify whether the opposition parties are giving their mandates away in exchange of the money. “I do not know what they get in exchange of their quotas. I cannot claim whether they get money for it or not. I do not know what the political sub-text in their behavior is but if we look through their lists, we will see how many members of the ruling party are in the commissions.”
The MP said that “Entrepreneurs” have the cousin of the head of Tsageri district police department in their election list. “I do not know his first name but his surname is Letodiani. How do you think the cousin of the head of the police department was inserted on the list of the “Entrepreneurs” if they have not sold the mandates?! Everybody knows that the government controls every law enforcement body and they support the government. Whose relative will dare to be on the list of the opposition party?! I think only this fact demonstrates the situation.”
One of the leaders of the Entrepreneurs Zurab Tkemaladze did not deny the negotiations with Kopaliani in his interview with the newspaper Resonance. He said they discussed that the government might occupy the seats of the opposition parties in the election commissions. Tkemaladze said he had requested Kopaliani to name the district where similar facts were observed. During the meeting Kopaliani and the Entrepreneurs agreed on similar cooperation.
“We talked only about it. Then I do not know how he concluded that we agreed him to nominate the candidates. He is very mistaken if he thinks that we will give him commission members after making similar statements,” said Zurab Tkemaladze.
The leader of the political party “By Ourselves” Paata Davitaia is not in Georgia. Levan Vepkhvadze made the comment on the accusation of Kopaliani in the name of the By Ourselves and Christian-Democrat Party. Vepkhvadze said that they would be able to find out who and where is appointed only after Paata Davitaia returns to Georgia.
There are 3 615 polling stations throughout Georgia. Political parties have their members in the commission of each polling station. Although the Entrepreneurs and By Ourselves do not have offices in Kakheti region, the members of the Christian Democrats, Entrepreneurs and By Ourselves are secretaries of the commissions.
According to the Kakheti News Center, the situation in Kakheti region is the following: there are 34 polling stations in Lagodekhi election district where By Ourselves has 10 members; Christian-Democrats have 7 members, Entrepreneurs have 16 members in the commissions; there are 49 polling stations in Sagarejo district: By Ourselves have 19 members, Christian Democrats – 7 members and Entrepreneurs – 12 members; there are 51 polling stations in Gurjaani district: By Ourselves have 12 members; Christian-Democrats-7 members, Entrepreneurs – 20 members; there are 29 polling stations in Akhmeta district: By Ourselves have 7 members, Christian Democrats – 6 members, Entrepreneurs – 5 members; there are 54 polling stations in Telavi district: By Ourselves have 18 members, Christian Democrats – 8 members; Entrepreneurs – 9 members.
Why do other opposition parties complain about the positions of the election commission secretary and whether they have information about assigning the mandates to the ruling party? We asked this question to one of the leaders of the Republic Party Tina Khidasheli.
“We do not comment on assigning the mandates to the ruling party by the Entrepreneurs and By Ourselves. Formally they are called opposition parties. Of course we complained about the fact but as you know the position of the secretary is granted to a party based on the inner elections. Since Labor Party does not participate in the elections, they boycotted the inner polls too; consequently, the Entrepreneurs, By Ourselves and Christian-Democrats had majority in the opposition consultations. Republic Party and Conservative Party could not change their decisions. They distributed the positions among themselves and we were omitted from the process. I think it was dishonest,” said Tina Khidasheli.
According to Khidasheli, the positions of secretary were distributed among these three parties in other regions too – in Adjara, Guria and Lechkhumi.
According to the correspondent of the humanrights.ge in Guria region, opposition parties in the election commission of the Ozurgeti election district # 60 nominated the employee of the Ozurgeti district culture center and national agency of Statistics for the position of the secretary. Almost equal situation is in district commissions; the candidates of the opposition parties are in fact members of the National Movement. Furthermore, they work for the ruling party - www.humanrights.ge/index.php?a=news&id=7739&lang=en
Non-governmental organization Fair Elections has been monitoring the elections in Georgia for many years already. The chairwoman of the organization Eka Siradze can neither confirm nor deny the doubts of Karlo Kopaliani.
“Yes, I have information about the statement of Kopaliani; however, I can neither confirm nor deny his allegations. This information was spread as rumors. Generally, allegation that the opposition parties sold mandates in the election commission has been announced for the first time. Similar rumors have never been spread during previous elections and our observers have never observed similar violations before. So, I cannot claim or deny anything.”
We will see on the Election Day whether the current situation in the elections commissions impact the election procedure; whether the parties will be able to provide the evidence against each other and how the society will be damaged by this situation. In parallel to it, the results of the elections might be devastating.
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