A meeting with the Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Feridun Sinirlioğlu, was held at the Central Election Commission.

According to the Central Election Commission’s press service, CEC Chairperson Giorgi Kalandarishvili and Deputy Giorgi Sharabidze provided the OSCE Secretary General and delegation members with information about both last year’s elections and preparations for the October 4 municipal elections.

“The CEC Chairperson spoke in detail about the October 26 parliamentary elections and the large-scale implementation of electronic technologies. They discussed the challenges faced during these elections.

The parties also discussed the status of implementing OSCE/ODIHR recommendations and the election administration’s plans in this direction. It was noted that deepening cooperation with OSCE/ODIHR is important to contribute to joint efforts regarding the development of electoral processes,” the CEC statement mentions.

According to their report, the main topic of the meeting was also the upcoming municipal elections on October 4. Giorgi Kalandarishvili and Giorgi Sharabidze spoke in detail about how the election administration is preparing, both legally and logistically, to conduct elections at a high professional level according to international standards.

Meeting participants also discussed general challenges facing the election administration and ways to overcome them. After the meeting, the parties agreed on the necessity of continuing cooperation in the future.

The meeting at the CEC was also attended by Alexander Maisuradze, Georgia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Austria, OSCE Special Representative Terhi Hakala, Director of the Conflict Prevention Center Kate Fearon, and the Secretary General’s Special Advisor Zeynep Çelikel.