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Georgian elections abroad

October 26, 2016
 
Giorgi Janelidze

On October 8, the Parliamentary Election of Georgia was conducted in 55 polling stations outside Georgia. As Central Election Commission reported to humanrights.ge, there are 49 694 registered Georgian voters living abroad. 55 polling stations were opened in 40 foreign countries. The Russian Federation was exception and Georgian citizens living could not enjoy their right to vote as a result of ceased diplomatic relations between the two countries after 2008 armed conflict.

Deputy Director of the Press and Information Department at the Foreign Ministry of Georgia Lasha Tchigladze answered questions of humanrights.ge. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has information only about those Georgian citizens who are registered in the data-base of the consulate. By September 30, 2016 their number was 3 233 citizens. Generally, the number of Georgian citizens registered in the consulate in the Russian Federation varied around 3000”.

The ballot process was successfully conducted in all 40 countries. By October 20 data, the most abroad registered Georgian citizens participated in the ballots in the polling stations located in the military base of Afghanistan. It should be noted that the United National Movement won the ballot in one of the precincts in Afghanistan that demonstrates improved election process and developed Georgian society. 

Humanrights.ge interviewed the former chairman of the CEC Giorgi Zesashvili about the issue. “In accordance to the law, voters shall have freedom of choice. Military units, like border guards, mostly supported the ruling party. As for the elections conducted during the previous government, we can make analysis, why soldiers voted only for the authority, only based on the review of the old protocols. We can only welcome that people had freedom of choice on the Election Day. This fact proves that current authority is better and more progressive than previous one,” Giorgi Zesashvili said and added that he is content with the quality of the elections held abroad and if there was any significant violation, at least one commission member abroad could report the CEC about it.

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