Watchdog: Seven MP Candidates should be Barred from Running

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), a watchdog observing the pre-election campaign, said on April 18 that seven ruling party majoritarian MP candidates should be barred from running, accusing them of vote buying.

GYLA claims that Archil Gegenava, a majoritarian MP candidate in Tbilisi’s Mtatsminda single-mandate constituency; Lasha Zhvania – candidate in Tbilisi’s Chugureti district; Rusudan Kervalishvili – candidate in Tbilisi’s Samgori district; Giorgi Goguadze – candidate in Tbilisi’s Isani district; Giorgi Asanidze – candidate in Tbilisi’s Gldani district; Petre Tsiskarishvili – minister of agriculture and candidate in Akhmeta and Temur Charkviani – candidate in Batumi have all violated the election code by handing over various gifts to voters. In some cases gifts were given to schoolchildren.