Adjara Supreme Council examines the draft on introducing of amendments to the rule of formation of the Supreme Election Commission (SEC). According to the amendments, the tenure of SEC chairman and members will decrease from five to four years. Furthermore, local monitoring organizations that monitored the past elections at Adjara Autonomous Republic become authorized to nominate candidates for SEC membership, whilst authority of current SEC members will be terminated immediately after amendments enter into force.
Even though the draft increases NGOs’ role in formation of election administration, we consider that amendments are hasty and their adoption will not address the key problem, which is exemption of election administration from political influence.
We, NGOs, think that applicable election system contains number of flaws. Therefore, after the end of Parliamentary elections, we rapidity raised the initiative in terms of carrying out election legislation reform. Change of the rule of formation of election administration is among priorities. In view of this, we consider that the reform should ensure independence of election administration in reality and decrease the risk of potential political influence at the maximal level.
Local and international organizations, with relevant election practice, already launched activities for detailed analysis of the issue and for elaboration of the suitable model of election administration. The Central Election Commission is also involved in the process and activities are carried out in coordination with the Parliament.
In view of the above, we think, that amendment of the rule of SEC formation should be examined in this working group format. Only thorough and fundamental amendments may lead to improvement of the current condition. Moreover, since according to election legislation, SEC is inseparable part of Georgian Election Administration, its reform should be part of general election reform as well.
We advise you, to join us with a view to discuss SEC formation rule within the framework of NGO working group.
In addition, we recommend refraining from the past defective practice concerning implementation of extensive election amendments in a hasty manner, at the end of the year, with pro forma involvement of civil sector. Otherwise, implemented legislative amendments will be treated as an attempt to make political influence on election administration, while we aim implementation of the reform which will ensure establishment of the election administration exempted from the political influence of the past and the current state authorities.
International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED)
Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA)
Transparency International - Georgia (TI- Georgia)
Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF)
Public Movement Multinational Georgia (PMMG)
New Generation New Initiative (NGNI)
Election and Political Technologies Research Center
Civil Society and Democracy Development Center
