Alliance for Georgia Blames Chairman of the Samtredia Regional Election Commission in Close Relationship with the National Movement
May 13, 2010
Marika Vacharadze, Samtredia
According to the Alliance for Georgia, the first session of the election commissions in Samtredia district was held with violations. There are 50 polling stations and 49 000 registered voters in the district. However, the changes are eventually introduced to the election list. Unlike other opposition parties, only the representative of the Alliance for Georgia Imeda Gogava protested the violations.
According to Gogava, the violations were observed in the polling station # 40 and polling station # 32 in the village of Tsialubani; however, chairman of the Samtredia regional election commission Avto Lomaia does not admit the violations.
Imeda Gogava stated the “newly appointed” chairperson of the polling station # 40 Tsitsino Khurtsilava received directives from the National Movement. She categorically demanded the secretary of the election commission Maia Gabedava to resign who is member of the opposition party “By Ourselves.” Although the protocol was already drawn up and the secretary was elected based on the majority votes, Khurtsilava stubbornly demanded the resignation of the secretary. The chairperson of the district election commission personally took the secretary out of the hall and demanded her to resign.
Gogava said the members of the district election commission witnessed the incident. They requested Khurtsilava to explain the situation but she insulted them. After the phone-consultations, the chairman of the district election commission continued the meeting. The chairman of the regional election commission was informed about the fact but he did not react on it.
Avto Lomia: “The regional election commission receives signed document which is signed by every member of the commission. I have not observed any violations yet. The information you are speaking about is rumor for me. I need official document with signature which will confirm the violations. I should learn about the incident at the polling station # 50 from the document. Nobody has applied to me with complaints. As far as I know, the candidates of the opposition parties had some disagreement and the members of the regional election commission did not interfere in their argument. We really had some minor violations in several polling stations but there was nothing serious. Secretaries, deputy chairpersons and chairpersons are elected in every polling station and commissions are getting ready for the Election Day.”
Tsitsino Khurtsilava is a chief specialist of the Samtredia municipality board that is incompatible with her election activities. We tried to call her on the phone but in vain.
Number one of the election list of the Alliance for Georgia in Samtredia district Imedia Gogava said; ‘ Lomaia is favorite of the National Movement in Samtredia; it enables him to occupy his position as the chairman of the regional election commission. We cannot say the same about his daughter who is commission member in the polling station # 6 from the opposition party “By Ourselves.” As for his wife, Nino Lomaia, she represents the National Movement in the polling station # 21.”
Avto Lomaia did not deny in his interview with the Humanrights.ge that his family members are also taking part in the election process. “Imeda Gogava should rather study my biography before making similar statements. My father was orthodox communist. I have never been a member of any party yet even when I was district deputy governor. I do not interfere in the decision of any party when appointing commission members. I know him, Is it illegal that my family members represent various parties in election commission? We do not appoint their candidates. We know them and just check their documents,” said Avto Lomaia.
The pre-election period is not very active in Samtredia district if we do not mention the frequent visits of the central authority. The chairman of the parliament visited the district to make the list of the candidates from the ruling party; he introduced the favorite of the National Movement to the population.
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