OSCE/ODIHR final report on Georgia presidential election recommends measures to further enhance legal framework

Georgia’s presidential election on 27 October 2013 was efficiently administered and transparent, and the electoral legal framework provided a sound basis for the conduct of democratic elections, says the final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). However, authorities should consider measures to further enhance electoral legislation and improve its implementation, the report adds.

The report, released on 14 January 2014, says that the election took place in an amicable and constructive environment, with the fundamental freedoms of expression, movement and assembly respected throughout the campaign.

The legal framework, however, should be reviewed to provide free broadcast time to contestants – independent candidates in particular – in a more inclusive manner, the report concludes.  This would help create a more level playing field for all candidates, the report says.

It also recommends that the law be amended to allow all election contestants to file complaints on all election-related issues. Citizens, too, should be permitted to file complaints, including against the decisions of election commissions, the report says.

A clear separation between partisan and non-partisan observation should be respected by all party/candidate representatives and citizen observer organizations, the report says, adding that observers should comply with the existing legal provisions and accreditation procedures.

Campaign finance legislation could also be developed further to address gaps and inconsistencies and to provide for timely, effective and proportionate sanctions in the event of violations.

The report also recommends that existing candidate-registration provisions, particularly those relating to residency and citizenship, be reconsidered.