Georgia’s election administration accuses “interested parties” of using Venice Commission opinion for smear campaign

Georgia’s Central Election Commission on Wednesday claimed “interested parties” were attempting to use the latest opinion by the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe, which called for the election of CEC chair and its member with two-thirds of the parliamentary majority, to “discredit” the body ahead of the next year’s elections. 

In their official statement, the administration pointed out that various interested parties – reportedly referring to the part of the domestic opposition –  were attempting to interpret the commission’s conclusion to suit their own narratives.

The administration expressed concern that discussions on the legitimacy of the election administration had been reignited despite the absence of any such content in the commission’s conclusion. It emphasized a “misleading campaign” had been initiated, with representatives from different political parties exploiting the Venice Commission’s conclusion on amendments to electoral legislation as a basis for an “unwarranted” attack on the election administration.The statement underscored the omission of discussions regarding crucial issues outlined in the Venice Commission’s conclusion, such as the necessity for clear criteria governing the dismissal of members appointed by parties in the election administration. These criteria were cited as vital to ensuring the genuine independence and impartiality of such members.

The administration asserted that all professional members of the CEC, including the chairman, operateD in strict accordance with the law. It highlighted despite the “baseless allegations”, the election administration’s activities had remained uninterrupted.