OSCE/ODIHR experts present final report on Georgia’s 2018 presidential election in Tbilisi
Elections experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) met with electoral stakeholders in Tbilisi on 21 and 22 March 2019 to present the ODIHR final report on last year’s presidential election in Georgia.
The report’s findings and recommendations were presented to representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Central Election Commission, among other officials, as well as to the Chairperson of the Parliament. ODIHR experts also presented the report at an election-related conference organized by the Council of Europe and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), which gathered 60 participants from relevant state authorities and civil society.
“We consider the commitment at the highest political levels to discuss ODIHR's recommendations an indication of the importance placed on improving the electoral process,” said Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens, who headed the ODIHR Election Observation Mission for the election. “This is an opportune moment for adopting an inclusive approach to enhancing electoral legislation and practice in Georgia, and ODIHR continues to stand ready to support such efforts.”Discussions focused on the report’s recommendations to review the electoral legislation, ensure a clear separation between party and state during election campaigning and improve regulations to prevent and respond to hate speech during the campaign. The experts also highlighted the recommendation to establish an effective and timely mechanism for addressing complaints before an impartial and competent authority.
Other recommendations discussed included aligning the number of commission members at each level to the actual need, introducing expedited deadlines to address campaign finance violations and publishing all decisions and legal opinions of the media regulator, as well as ensuring that voters cast their ballot free of fear of retribution.All OSCE participating States have committed themselves to following up on ODIHR's election assessments and recommendations.