Opposition UNM member blames Central Election Commission for partisan bias

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has been criticized by David Kirtaidze, a representative of the opposition United National Movement in CEC, accusing the commission of appointing district election commission members based on political affiliations.

During a briefing on Sunday, Kirtaidze asserted that these appointments appear to favor individuals with ties to the ruling party, and could compromise the ability of these members to render impartial and independent decisions.

“Despite recommendations from multiple international organizations that neutrality and objectivity should be the primary criteria for appointments, yesterday, the CEC selected individuals employed as public officials in municipalities, as well as relatives of ruling party leaders,” the opposition member stressed.

He cited previous cases where such appointees failed to address electoral violations and instead made decisions that aligned with the interests of the ruling party.

As the process for selecting precinct election commission members commences, Kirtaidze urged international and local monitoring organizations to closely oversee the proceedings to ensure that the CEC does not exploit its authority to manipulate the election process.