Ambassadors Try to Break an Impasse over Election Code

Fourteen ambassadors of the western countries and the international organizations urged the political party leaders in a three-hour meeting on June 30 to compromise over the election code.

The governmental and opposition parties are deadlocked over the composition of the Central Election Commission (CEC). Both sides fear strengthening of the opponent’s influence in the commission, saying it will lead to a fraud during the Parliamentary elections scheduled for November 2.

After the meeting the diplomats admitted that the situation is “difficult” and called the Georgian politicians to reach an agreement as soon as possible. The diplomats from USA, Great Britain, France, Germany, Turkey, Netherlands, Italy, Greece, Israel, Czech Republic, Romania, as well as OSCE, UNDP and EU presented the MPs with a list of recommendations vital for holding fair and free elections.

“The meeting had one main outcome – western diplomats have expressed their extreme concern by the current deadlock regarding the election code,” Nino Burjanadze, Parliamentary Chairperson told the reporters after the meeting.

“I think that it was very useful and long meeting. Georgian Parliament is multiparty Parliament and people have different opinions. Its very important Government and opposition to come together to the compromise necessary to move process forward,” US Ambassador in Georgia Richard Miles told the reporters after the meeting, admitting it would be “very difficult” to reach a compromise.

The ambassadorial recommendations have a sting to them, saying a failure to ensure fair elections, would deprive Georgia of not the political support and the economic assistance.

“We wanted to get over some of our concerns about elections, particularly about of lack of time for composition of CEC. Both government and parliament share equal responsibility in achieving that. We heard from opposition MPs about their worries and problems in coming to the decision of composition of CEC,” British Ambassador in Georgia Deborah Jones told the reporters after the meeting.

The diplomats have also delivered a “carrot” promising to render technical assistance to ensure fair elections if the compromise is reached soon. The assistance will include digitalizing voters’ lists, providing equipment and training for the election commissions and observing elections.

“We can help and advise, but it is your responsibility to arrange free and fair elections in Georgia and we can’t make decisions for your,” the British Ambassador said.
 
The meeting took place in the wake of the President Shevardnadze’s statement on June 30. In his Monday radiobroadcast he said there would be “no tragedy” in holding the Parliamentary elections under the current election code. This statement has exacerbated the suspicions of the opposition that the government seeks no compromise over the CEC and intends to hold the elections with the current composition of the commission.

“I have to meet President Shevardnadze, especially after his statement. I can say for sure that without the decision of President, who leads the governmental election alliance, it will be impossible to reach a compromise over the CEC. The current CEC is so much discredited that even in case of fair elections, the doubts will still be cast on validity of the results,” Nino Burjanadze said.

Opposition claims that the government is interested in holding elections with the current CEC, as it consists of the representatives of the pro-presidential parties. All the opposition members of the commission quit the posts together with the former Chairman of the CEC after the June 3 protests in Tbilisi, which demanded disbanding of the election commission.

“To keep the current CEC will not be a tragedy for the President indeed, but it will be a great tragedy for us. I think foreign diplomats share this opinion,” MP Kote Kemularia of the opposition National Movement told Civil Georgia.

“It is up to the President and the government to reach an agreement over the election code. We want the CEC to be composed on the parity bases with the representatives of the political parties, which succeeded in the previous [1999] Parliamentary elections and [2002] local elections,” Pikria Chikhradze of the New Rights told Civil Georgia.

On July 1 the representatives of the opposition parties elaborated the draft, considering creation of the 15-member CEC. According to the draft 10 members of the CEC will be from the opposition parties, while the President and pro-governmental parties will nominate only five.

“We will present the draft to the President. I hope the meeting [of Shevardnadze with the opposition] will be held as soon as possible,” Nino Burjanadze told the reporters after the consultations with the opposition parties on July 1.

By Giorgi Sepashvili, Nino Khutsidze, Civil Georgia