Georgia starts parliamentary elections

The parliamentary elections already started in Georgia. Around 14 parties and two political blocks take part in the elections. The Parliament will receive more authority in 2013 after the amendments to the Constitution enter into force. The president's power will be reduced. The elections will be declared valid if the number of voters reaches one-third.

According to the Georgian CEC, around 3.613 voters have been registered in 84 constituencies in the country.

Around 77 among 150 MPs will be elected through a proportional system that is based on the party lists. Two electoral blocs and 14 parties will compete. They will be able to be elected to the Parliament, if gain 5 percent of votes.

Thus, there will be 73 more parliamentarians in single-member constituencies. There will be only candidates from the parties in majority constituencies. Their only independent candidate, registered in the city of Zugdidi, withdrew his candidacy on Friday.

Around 50 local NGOs and 61 international, including the National Democratic Institute, NDI, a delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), as well as observers from Poland, Switzerland, Romania, Australia, the U.S. and some CIS countries have been registered to monitor the parliamentary elections in Georgia.

According to approximate data, around 33,000 local and over 600 international observers will monitor the elections. Each organization can attract no more than two observers for monitoring at one constituency.


/Trend/