Initiative Group Proposed Alternative Election Code to the Parliament

Initiative group of lawyers and media activists proposed alternative Election Code to the Parliament of Georgia. The authors of the draft-law are Vakhtang Khmaladze, Lasha Tugushi, Zviad Koridze, Eliso Chapidze, Sandro Baramidze and others.

Head of the Georgian Press Association and editor-in-chief of the newspaper Resonance Lasha Tughushi told the Interpresnews that they will submit the packet of the draft-law to the parliament today.

“The packet, with working title Media and Election, aims to introduce amendments to several laws including the Election Code. We worked out innovative ideas concerning the issues like monitoring, transparency, paid and free advertising, and debates with different institutionalism quality,” said Tugushi.

According to the authors’ clarification, a monitoring group of independent people shall be created who will effectively respond to the observed violations.

“There were many violations detected concerning advertisements, balance and various other issues during the previous elections. However, the monitoring system was not effective. Monitors did not possess effective tools to make the corresponding institutions listen to them. We think, a group of independent people shall be established to carry out effective monitoring [of the elections],” said Tugushi.

He added that monopolization of the advertising market is another serious problem and certain regulations shall be worked out to control it.

IPN