Georgia: NGOs urge authorities to hold parliamentary elections according to international standards

In Georgia, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have addressed the authorities asking them to conduct the parliamentary elections this autumn in compliance with international standards. On March 9, activists of several NGOs submitted a corresponding statement to the President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili, Speaker of the Parliament David Bakradze and Minister of Foreign Affairs Grigol Vashadze.

The above statement was adopted on March 2 at the roundtable sitting, where the NGOs presented their draft amendments to the Law "On Citizens' Political Associations" and to the Criminal Code.

"The 2012 parliamentary elections in a free and democratic environment are an important challenge for the Georgia's authorities and society. We hope that the former will do everything possible to fulfil the guidelines of the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the European Council, and will hold elections in accordance with international standards," says the statement, signed by leaders of 82 NGOs.

The signatories thereto were such NGOs like the "Association of Young Lawyers", the "Transparency International – Georgia", the "International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy" and the coalition "For the Freedom of Choice".

Besides, the NGOs have sent their appeals to Lamberto Zanieri, Secretary General of the OSCE and Janez Lenarcic, Director of the ODIHR, where they state that the recent amendments to the Georgian Electoral Code and the Law "On Citizens' Political Associations" had caused serious public concern, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by Magda Popiashvili, an activist of the Coalition "For the Freedom of Choice".

The statements were prepared in the course of the campaign "This concerns you!" Also, within the campaign, NGOs have drafted and presented to the legal committee of the Georgian Parliament amendments to the law on political parties and to the Criminal Code, and began working on draft amendments to the electoral legislation.