The Central Election Commission (CEC) received updated information on voters. Ioseb Baghaturia, the Head of Public Services Development Agency (the Agency) handed the electronic version of the data to Tamar Zhvania, the Chairperson of the CEC.
The CEC will process the data of the citizens eligible to vote according to elections districts and precincts within the deadlines established by the election law and will publish its public version in compliance with the election law. The public version of the voters list will be available for all stakeholders upon request and each voter will be able to check his/her information in the voters’ list. The data provided by the Agency has 3, 553, 673 potential voters. Voters will be able to check their data after the May 16 when the DECs will send the public version of the list to the PECs.
The National Democratic Institute will conduct a pre-election assessment mission focused on Georgia's local government elections scheduled for June 15. The delegation released a report highlighting its findings at the conclusion of the mission at a press conference on May 2. The field work was conducted during the period of March 26 through April 18 using the face-to-face interview method with a nationwide representative sample with 3, 942completed interviews.
The Georgian Young Lawyers Association issued a written statement surrounding the Kvareli case and called on the Interior Minister to adequately investigate it. The police arrested the elected Governor (Gamgebeli) of the Kvareli Municipality and Judo Federation President – Davit Qevkhishvili for petty hooliganism. By dismissing the incumbent Governor, the Kvareli Municipality City Council violated the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force, which calls on the local self-government authorities to refrain from implementing the significant staff shifts in the pre-election period.
Davit Qevkhishvili will appeal to the court concerning the decision. From Qevkhishvili’s words, campaign against him is related to the upcoming local self-government elections and said that this process was ongoing for three months already, however, no-one took an interest to examine those facts.
The former representatives of UNM will not be presented in the list of GD, the Deputy Prime Minister of Georgia Kakha Kaladze said, adding, that the decision on proportional electoral lists and majoritarian candidates will be known in the nearest future. "Too many candidates are being considered. As for the former representatives of the "National Movement", I, as the Secretary of the "Georgian Dream" Coalition, confirm once again that these people will not be on the electoral lists,"
According to Chairperson of the Faction Georgian Dream Georgiam MP Irakli Shikhiashvili is no longer in "Georgian Dream's" election list. As Guliko Zumbadze said, reason for this is that there are public questions regarding Shikhiashvili.
Member of “Democratic Movement’s” council Gia Kobakhidze and head of financial-economical direction Mamuka Chkheidze held a briefing. They said that in conclusion, made by Temporary Parliamentary Commission on reviewing State Audit Office’s 2012 work, there were mentioned facts of the budget’s inappropriate using, but the prosecutor’s office hasn’t still got this document. They think that all these points to possible bargain and corruption between “National Movement” and “Georgian Dream”.
Director of Electoral and Political Technologies Research Center Kakhi Kakhishvili responded to PM’s pre-election moratorium and said, that the moratorium is out of low frames. He described relation of “Georgian Dream” and “National Movement” as husband and wife’s, having some argues but generally hugging each other.
Young Lawyer's Association and Fair Elections think that, the regulations of the election code, that give only to political parties and blocs possibility to propose mayor and governor candidate are opposing Georgia’s constitution. The NGOs applied to the Constitutional Court with the name of six Tbilisi citizens.
The Court of Appeal rejected the appeal of Irakli Okruashvili on 22 April and didn’t restore him as the candidate of Gori mayor. After the court Okruashvili said that he’s switching to plan B and is going to propose other candidate for mayor. “On friday we will present new candidate and let’s see how Gharibashvili’s wrestler will defeat our”, said Okruashvili.
Acting governor of Akhmeta municipality Beka Baidauri and the chairmen of “Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia” Mamuka Kholegashvili, together with other board members visited Tusheti on 30 April. They gave Easter Baskets and medicaments to people permanently living there. As Kakheti Information Center reports, this is a clear use of administrative resources for election campaign.
Mayor candidate of coalition “Georgian Dream” David Narmania presented his pre-election program. The presentation was held at newly opened Public Support Hall, Rustaveli Avenue. Narmania spoke about main directions of his program.
Public Support Hall was simultaneously presented, where famous people have joined, Kakhi Kavsadze, Merab Tavadze, Gia Baghashvili are among them.
Tbilisi mayor candidate Nika Melia and head of “United National Movement’s” election HQ Gigi Ugulava today visited Navtlughi.
They checked one more stopped construction in Tbilisi and mentioned the importance of the project.
Mayor candidate of coalition “Georgian Dream” David Narmania was planning to take part in “Mziuri” cleaning campaign, but the park appeared to be already cleaned. “The territory had been littered for days. We, together with young people, decided to clean it, but after it was announced, city hall’s cleaning service cleaned up this place”, said Narmania. “Georgian Dream’s” Tbilisi mayor candidate believes that moving a traffic light at the Chavchavadze Avenue and changing a direction of movement will improve traffic conditions at those streets. The project was presented to the people living on the Chavchavadze Avenue by Narmania himself.
“Non-parliamentary Opposition” suggest political parties to unite for the elections. The statement about this offer was announced by “Non-parliamentary Opposition” and explained that they will have a real chance of success. “Georgian Social-Democratic Party” joins the union of “Non-Parliamentary Opposition. The above mentioned decision was made as a result of negotiations between the council of the block and leaders of “Social Democratic party”. Representative of “Democratic Movement” judicial office Tamar Zurashvili asked government to establish justice. She said that in 2012 parliament gave status of Political Prisoners to 192 people and released them from prison but confiscated property wasn’t returned to them. Zurashvili requests to give them their property back.
Tbilisi mayor candidate of “Non-parliamentary Opposition” Kakha Kukava released his second video statement, where he speaks about Georgia's foreign policy.
Kakha Kukava marks that for him European direction first of all means not the integration in some alliance but Europeanization of the country - reforms based on European values.
Shalva Natelashvili left the post of chairman of “Labor Party” on 2 may, but he is supposed to become a leader of the party again, because only his candidature was reviewed at the party congress.
Shalva Natelashvili officially presented Tbilisi mayor candidate to party delegates and assessed work done by “Georgian Labor Party”.
On May 3 the Prime Minister opened “Georgian Dream” pre-election campaign in Kutaisi. During his speech Garibashvili noted, that the city should return its previous fame and this needs much work. He named the candidates, participating in local self-government elections. The Majoritarian candidate for Samtredia will be Valeri Potskhveria, Khoni – Jemal Mebuke, Vani – Zaza Khurtsidze, Bagdadi – Irakli Gegeshidze, Tskhaltubo – Konstantine Mamiseishvili, Chiatura – Sultan Makhatadze, Zestafoni – Tariel Tutarashvili, Terjola – Temur Jafaridze, Tkhibuli – Robinzon Gvenetadze, Kharagauli – Koba Lursmanishvili, Sachxere – Malkhaz Bazadze. For Kutaisi Mayoral candidate is named Shota Murgulia.
From the words of parliamentary minority Akaki Bobokhidze, for Khoni municipality governor UNM names the former governor of Khoni Zurab Jibukhaia, who is in pre-trial detainee. Bobokhidze made this statement during the briefing in parliament.
According to the deputy, prosecutor’s main goal is to leave Jibukhaia in pre-trial detainee before elections. Bobokhidze also presented two conclusions, according to which, the damage to the budget form Jibukhaia is 500 GEL.