OSCE to monitor Georgia’s elections
By Messenger Staff
Thursday, May 26
“The forthcoming Parliamentary elections of October 2016 will be monitored by the OSCE observers,” OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier said in response to a request of Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili to include a wide spectrum of observers in the monitoring of the election process.
During the meeting at the Administration of the Government of Georgia, the Prime Minister noted that the government of Georgia ensures the “full compliance of the election process with the highest electoral standards”.
To ensure transparency of the procedure, the Prime Minister expects the OSCE observers to arrive at the earliest opportunity, the Government of Georgia declared on its webpage.
It was indicated that the invitation has already been sent to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the fact-finding commission is already present in Georgia.
The conversation also touched upon the aspects of European and Euro-Atlantic integration and developments in the occupied territories of Georgia.
The Prime Minister declared that visa liberalization has particular significance in the European integration process of Georgia.
“The country expects a positive decision in this regard. Meanwhile, the government of Georgia continues reforms in various areas including rule of law, human rights protection and democratic institution building,” Kvirikashvili said.
The OSCE Secretary General confirmed his support for Georgia in the ongoing visa liberalization process.
Kvirikashvili also expressed deep concern over the fatal shooting of a civilian in the village of Khurcha on May 19, which stands on territory controlled by Georgia. He elaborated on the importance of the due response to that incident. Practical arrangements in the view of upcoming session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly which will be hosted by Tbilisi on July 1-5 were also discussed during the meeting.
