European Union

TBILISI. 23 February 2010 – The European Union continues to provide assistance to Georgia in conducting free, fair and credible elections. The new initiative, which was launched today, 23 February 2010, will help the national electoral stakeholders to effectively implement the electoral process and will support preparations for the local self-governance elections in 2010. 

The initiative will be implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Georgia in co-operation with the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED).

Speaking in the UN House today, Ambassador Per Eklund, Head of the European Commission Delegation to Georgia, said: “Credible elections are the foundation for democracy and the guarantee for maintaining rule of law and political stability. The European Union will continue its assistance to national democratic institutions in Georgia in their effort to hold free and fair elections in a credible and stable environment.”
With Euro 960 thousand in EU finding, this 15-month project is assisting to reform the Unified Electoral Code and reach a consensus on its main principles; to provide professional training to the electoral administration and other electoral stakeholders; and to arrange public information campaigns in order to increase public awareness about the electoral process.

“We will closely work with all electoral stakeholders, including the electoral administration, political parties, domestic observers, judges, media and voters,” said Jamie McGoldrick, UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident Co-ordinator in Georgia. 

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been assisting electoral processes in Georgia since 2003. The EU-funded initiatives focus on the four major components of free and fair elections: qualified electoral administration and other electoral stakeholders, well-informed voters, effective legislation and increased civil participation.

For press queries please contact:

Sophie Tchitchinadze, UNDP Georgia Communications Analyst, +995 32 251126, 899 196907 (mobile), sophie.tchitchinadze@undp.org
Tamar Mikadze, Press and Information Officer of the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia, +995 32 943763, tamriko.mikadze@ec.europa.eu