The News in Brief
Monday, November 4, 2024
Prepared by Messenger Staff
Central Election Commission Defends Accreditation of Russian Propagandist Amid Controversy
The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia issued a statement on November 2 defending its decision to grant accreditation to Alexander Malkevich, a Russian government propagandist. The CEC clarified that the accreditation was "granted in accordance with electoral legislation," and that it has "no access to the legal status of this or that person," suggesting it is not within the Commission's purview to assess applicants' backgrounds.
This response came a day after the pro-opposition TV station Pirveli reported that Malkevich, known for his close ties to Kremlin propaganda networks, had not only visited Georgia on the October 26 election day but also received official CEC accreditation to observe the event. Malkevich's presence has sparked criticism, particularly given his history of involvement in disinformation efforts supporting Russian interests.
Natia Ioseliani, the spokesperson for the CEC, addressed the issue during a briefing. Ioseliani emphasized that the Commission grants media accreditation to both local and foreign journalists through a straightforward process, typically requiring applicants to submit relevant information by email. If the provided documents meet electoral requirements, the CEC processes the application accordingly. Ioseliani accused unnamed "interested parties" of attempting to discredit the Commission and its Chairman, Giorgi Kalandarishvili, by highlighting that the accreditation request had been sent directly to Kalandarishvili. She clarified that it is standard protocol for all accreditation applications to be addressed to the Chairperson.
Public Defender Levan Ioseliani Refrains from Judging Election Legitimacy, Draws Criticism from Former Ombudsman
Public Defender Levan Ioseliani stated that he could not comment on the legitimacy of recent election results, as the Public Defender's Office did not observe the elections. When asked if he believed the elections were conducted in a free and democratic manner, Ioseliani responded, "This question is not addressed to the Public Defender. Neither I nor any public defender who has been in Georgia has assessed the legitimacy of the elections, since this is not the mandate of the public defender. We are not an observation organization; we did not observe."
His statement has prompted criticism from former Public Defender Nino Lomjaria, who argued that the mandate of the Public Defender includes oversight of electoral rights. "300,000 people did not cheat, 1 voted instead of 100 people. Over the years, the reputation of the Ombudsman Institute has stood on the dedication of people, adherence to values and professional conscience, and at least respect the work of your employees. And yes, your mandate covers the right to vote (Article 24 of the Constitution), it is your mandate to protect and supervise the free expression of the voter's will, and please fulfill your constitutional obligation in good faith," Lomjaria wrote.
Central Election Commission Defends Accreditation of Russian Propagandist Amid Controversy
This response came a day after the pro-opposition TV station Pirveli reported that Malkevich, known for his close ties to Kremlin propaganda networks, had not only visited Georgia on the October 26 election day but also received official CEC accreditation to observe the event. Malkevich's presence has sparked criticism, particularly given his history of involvement in disinformation efforts supporting Russian interests.
Natia Ioseliani, the spokesperson for the CEC, addressed the issue during a briefing. Ioseliani emphasized that the Commission grants media accreditation to both local and foreign journalists through a straightforward process, typically requiring applicants to submit relevant information by email. If the provided documents meet electoral requirements, the CEC processes the application accordingly. Ioseliani accused unnamed "interested parties" of attempting to discredit the Commission and its Chairman, Giorgi Kalandarishvili, by highlighting that the accreditation request had been sent directly to Kalandarishvili. She clarified that it is standard protocol for all accreditation applications to be addressed to the Chairperson.
Public Defender Levan Ioseliani Refrains from Judging Election Legitimacy, Draws Criticism from Former Ombudsman
His statement has prompted criticism from former Public Defender Nino Lomjaria, who argued that the mandate of the Public Defender includes oversight of electoral rights. "300,000 people did not cheat, 1 voted instead of 100 people. Over the years, the reputation of the Ombudsman Institute has stood on the dedication of people, adherence to values and professional conscience, and at least respect the work of your employees. And yes, your mandate covers the right to vote (Article 24 of the Constitution), it is your mandate to protect and supervise the free expression of the voter's will, and please fulfill your constitutional obligation in good faith," Lomjaria wrote.