29 December 2007, 13:29
Georgian NGOs state violations in pre-election campaign
Representatives of the non-government sector of Georgia have submitted reports on violations in the course of pre-election campaign at the press-conference held at the joint media center.
Tamuna Karosanidze, executive director "Transparency International Georgia" notes:
"Candidates' initiatives are financed from the state budget. Moreover, execution of such initiatives, i.e. distribution of vouchers, etc., is going on with the participation of candidates from the National Movement (the ruling party) and directly at the party offices.
There are facts of direct pressure on the electors. Employees of various institutions in regions are being summoned by the administration and asked to take part in the election, otherwise they are going to face problems. In Ghori, pressure has been exerted on students to register in the National Movement."
Merab Pachuliya, director of the Georgian Public Opinion and Marketing Studies Association GORBI, has commented on the preliminary results of press analysis: "They write and talk about Saakashvili more than about other candidates. For instance, there have been no negative reviews about Gamkeridze and Sarishvili, but at the same time, they talk about them very little."
According to the information of Eka Siradze, executive director of NGO "International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy", violations in the course of pre-election campaign are being committed by local power authorities, rather than by the candidates themselves, possibly, without any request from the center.
In the regions, employees are requested to shoot their voting by mobile phones in order to prove that they have made a "correct" choice. These facts testify to threats to and pressure on the population," sums up Eka Siradze.
Author: Edita Badasian, CK correspondent
