NDI Delegation Holds Meeting with Georgian PM

A Pre-Election Delegation of the National Democratic Institute (NDI), which has met the Prime Minister of Georgia, Mamuka Bakhtadze, stated that people’s trust towards elections has increased recently.

The delegation is studying the pre-election attitudes in Georgia as the country will elect a new president in late October.

The PM and the NDI delegation reviewed the present environment and current political developments in the country.

It was mentioned at the meeting that both pre-election attitudes and general environment have increased significantly, “demonstrating the standards of high democracy, which needs to be maintained by all means.”

According to Bakhtadze, the standards of pre-election processes have been qualitatively increased in recent years and free, fair and competitive elections have been held. He focused on the role of active monitoring assumed by the non-government organizations, local and international organizations.

The PM vowed to ensure an open, transparent and democratic presidential election in the country. It was noted that past malpractices of administrative resource deployment will be abolished and special attention will be paid to the application of good practices.

The Pre-Election Delegation of the NDI is launching the assessment of preparations for the presidential elections, political activity of the key players of the election process and general overview of the process.

On July 27, 2018, the delegation will publish its report and give the country its recommendations regarding the election environment.

The delegation was also hosted by the President of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili.

By Thea Morrison