Assessments of the presidential elections started before the final results have been published. Governmental layers, part of non-governmental organizations and observing missions were making statements on TV that the elections were fair and transparent. In the recent days, Georgian TV stations have broadcasted positive assessments of the elections and nobody speaks about the numerous violations that were observed during the polling process. Those facts were revealed in the conclusions made by the OSCE, the National Democratic Institute and many other organizations.
The US State Department has officially assessed the elections in Georgia. More precisely, the spokesperson of the State Department, Sean McCormack, replied to Davit Nikuradze, Georgian Rustavi 2’s correspondent in the USA, that “It was a good election and reflected the will of the Georgian people.” He also mentioned those violations that were observed during the elections and assessed by the OSCE Mission; the Georgian government has to address those facts. He also added that generally the elections were conducted in accordance with international standards.
However, he did not mention any phrase like Rustavi 2 has added to McCormack’s comments on their website.
“Observer missions observed violations however it has not reflected on the results of the election process.” We could not find this phrase in the on-line version of McCormack’s press-conference:
www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2008/jan/98835.htm
Current conclusions of the observer missions are not that as positive as TV stations make them sound. For example, the OSCE report reveals both positive and negative features of the elections.
The OSCE report states:
Positive aspects of the election process:
• Unified Election Code (UEC) is generally adequate for the conduct democratic elections, if implemented in good faith. Recent amendments introduced to UEC addresses a number of long-terming recommendations of the OSCE/ODIHR and the Council of Europe;
• During the pre-electoral period, the Central Election Commission (CEC) operated in a transparent manner; holding frequent meetings open to observers and media sources. Election commission at any level were cooperative;
• A voter educational campaign through the national media and training of election officials were carried out;
• Transparency of the process was enhanced by the accreditation of a large number of domestic non-party observer organizations;
• Election material was produced in the languages of national minorities;
• An Inter-Agency Task Force for Free and Fair Elections was set up by the Acting President to liaise with observer organizations and to address concerns raised. At times, the Acting President personally intervened in response to opposition’s grievances.
However, alongside positive aspects the OSCE has made negative assessments too:
• the campaign was overshadowed by widespread allegations of intimidation and pressure, a number of which were sustained, among others on public-sector employees;
• the implementation of social welfare programs was frequently combined with campaigning for the former president;
• pertinent inconsistencies, gaps, and ambiguities remaining in the Election Code left room for varying interpretation;
• In adjudicating complaints, the CEC failed to follow important legal procedures. The CEC and the courts tended to stretch the law beyond the sound interpretation to favor the ruling party’s candidate and public officials;
• Election-day procedures adopted by the CEC lacked clarity and detail.
Only the opposition spoke about the abovementioned violations and only on one TV station. We offer the full text of the conclusions that was published by the OSCE and National Democratic Institute; so you can make decide for yourself.
1. INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVATION M I S S I O N
Georgia — Extraordinary Presidential Election, 5 January 2008
2. STATEMENT OF THE NDI ELECTION OBSERVER DELEGATION
TO GEORGIA’S 2008 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Eka Kevanishvili, Tbilisi
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