Transparency International (TI) Georgia responded to the statement made by Georgian Dream (GD) member Givi Mikanadze earlier today.

MP Mikanadze said TI misinterpreted GD Ozurgeti Mayoral candidate Avtandil Talakvadze’s meeting with the medical community and urged local observer organizations to monitor election activities more closely to prevent misinterpretation that could have harmed the election environment.

TI Georgia submitted an appeal to the Ozurgeti District election Commission over Talakvadze’s said meeting noting that Paragraph 1.d of Article 48 of the Election Code ‘prohibits the gathering of public institution employees on a professional basis, for election campaign’.

“The ruling party representative stated on the briefing that Talakvadze held the meeting with the employees of private medical institutions, therefore – he claimed – that the restrictions stipulated by the legislation above were not applicable. However, he also confirmed that ‘several representatives of state-owned medical institutions’ also attended the meeting. The presence of public medical facility employees at the meeting presents a vivid confirmation that the appeal submitted by Transparency International Georgia is well-grounded and requires consideration by the District Election Commission,” the TI statement read.

Georgian NGO believes “it is concerning that prior to the completion of consideration of the appeal, the ruling party eventually alludes to the interpretation of legislation favourable for them, which might be considered as an instruction to the District Election Commission.”

TI also deems unacceptable the declarations of the ruling party regarding the ‘election monitoring standards’ of the Non-Governmental Organizations, which is yet another attempt to discredit election monitoring NGOs, the statement said.

“We call on the ruling party to stop interfering in the election administration’s activities, as well as the attempts to tarnish the reputation of election-monitoring organizations, and to conduct the election campaign in full accordance to the legislation,” TI underscored.

We deem unacceptable the declarations of the ruling @GeorgianDream41 party regarding the ‘election monitoring standards’ of the NGOs, which is yet another attempt to discredit election monitoring organizations. #GVote21 #Electionshttps://t.co/JOsRy62NPa

— Transparency Int’l GE (@Transparency_GE) August 23, 2021