PACE Pre-Election Mission Visits Georgia

A seven-member delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is visiting Georgia on September 13-14 to assess election campaign and political climate ahead of the October 8 parliamentary elections.

The delegation, led by Lithuanian MP Emanuelis Zingeris from the group of European People’s Party (EPP), will meet leaders and representatives of the political party, civil society and media organizations, as well as diplomatic community.

In Tbilisi, the delegation also plans meetings with speaker of outgoing Parliament Davit Usupashvili, who is the leader of the Republican Party; Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, who is leader of the ruling GDDG party, as well as Interior Minister Giorgi Mgebrishvili; Chairperson of the Central Election Commission Tamar Zhvania, and head of the National Communications Commission Vakhtang Abashidze.

PACE’s pre-election mission to Georgia also includes French MP Maryvonne Blondin from the Socialist Group (SOC); Spanish MP Jordi Xuclà from the group of Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE); Ingebjørg Godskesen of Norway from the European Conservatives Group (EC); Andrej Hunko of Germany from the Group of the Unified European Left (UEL); Boriss Cilevičs of Latvia the Socialist Group, who is a co-rapporteur for the monitoring of Georgia, and Swedish MP Kerstin Lundgren from ALDE group, who is also a co-rapporteur for the monitoring of Georgia.

PACE also plans to send a 32-member delegation to observe the vote on the election day.