CEC Chairman Giorgi Kalandarishvili Meets with US Ambassador Robin Dunnigan
By Liza Mchedlidze
Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Giorgi Kalandarishvili, Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC), held an introductory meeting with Robin Dunnigan, the Ambassador of the United States of America to Georgia, where the main topic discussed, according to the CEC's press service, was the preparation process for the 2024 parliamentary elections.
During the meeting, Giorgi Kalandarishvili emphasized that the election administration is fully prepared to conduct elections in accordance with international standards, utilizing advanced technologies. He further discussed with the ambassador the extensive implementation of technology, including informing voters and significant projects in this regard.
The parties also reviewed the election environment in the country during their discussion.
"The Embassy of the United States of America has always been a great supporter in the development of election administration and electoral processes in the country, which is evidenced by our close cooperation with many international partners. Today's very important meeting with Mrs. Ambassador is the echo of this. We discussed the preparations for the October 26 elections, the challenges, and needs that the institution faces today. We talked about the important role of the election administration in the election processes, the importance of the support of international partners, and, of course, the possibilities of further deepening the cooperation," Kalandarishvili stated.
The US Ambassador positively evaluated the CEC's efforts for the October 26 elections and pledged support to the election administration.
"We talked about the importance of the CEC in the election process here in Georgia, and in general, everywhere throughout the world. The employees of the Central Election Commission perform extremely important work for the democratic process. We agreed that these elections are an opportunity for Georgia to demonstrate the strength of democracy. We also discussed US support for this process. We support CEC with various programs and will continue to do so in the future. We will support international observation missions. Our real goal, the goal of the U.S. is for the process to be as transparent, free, and fair as possible, and for Georgians to have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote," Dunnigan stated.
At the end of the meeting, Giorgi Kalandarishvili, on behalf of the election administration, thanked the Ambassador for her personal interest in these issues, her expressed interest, and the support that the Embassy of the United States of America provides to the election administration.
