Starting from the date of its foundation in 1994, GYLA is active in monitoring legislative, executive and local government’s elections and strives to support peaceful and fair conduct of elections with full observance of Georgian legislation.

On October 27th, the Presidential Election Day, GYLA observed election process in 8 regions and 36 election districts with more than 400 observers. Moreover, GYLA had observers at the polling stations in the Great Britain and Germany.

GYLA’s observers have drafted 33 complaints and registered 50 remarks in the special log book. 

Following violations were observed in complaints and remarks:

• 8 facts of interference with administration of observer’s duties including problems with addmission of GYLA’s observers at the precinct (7 cases). Hindrance with registering a complaint in the log book (1 case).

• Violations concerning procedures of casting lots (5 cases)

• Problems regarding filling out control sheet (7 cases)

• Balloting with irrelevant documentations. (11 cases)

• Problems with election documentations.

• Problems with voter lists.

• Balloting instead of another individual. (3 cases)

• Problems of balloting with a mobile box (3 cases)

• Problems with registration of complaints (3 cases)

• Delayed opening of the polling station. (2 cases)

• 1 Fact of agitation at the territory of the polling station.

• Inking problems.

• 1 fact of physical clash between observers.

Apart from facts of violations, we would also like to emphasize several general positive tendencies:

1) Law enforcers’ policy of non-interference towards election process; shortening the number of special precincts; giving opportunity to law enforcers to cast vote according to their place of registration - all these played key role in conduct of  elections in a positive manner. 

2) Save for some cases, election commission was appealed to make corresponding response to complaints and remarks, made by GYLA observers, and promptly erradicate existing problems.

3) According to our observations, majority of violations, were conditioned by Election Code ignorance, rather than deliberate conduct of election commission members. Furthermore, violations recorded by GYLA, were mostly procedural and can not influence election results.

In general, according to GYLA’s evaluation, voters were free to express their their choice. 

GYLA will present complete report, analyzing the entire pre-election environment, election day, complaints examination and calculation of election results after summing up the elections.  Based on this report, GYLA will provide recommendations for election administration and government, with a view to ensure conduct of elections in more democratic, free and fair environment.