Ivanishvili government tries to clean up campaigning rules

Zakaria Kutsnashvili. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–A new amendment to the election code will require top officials to resign two days after they are registered as candidates in the presidential election.

The new regulations will apply to the prime minister, ministers of autonomous republics and their deputies, heads of government, members of the National Security Council, members of the National Bank board, general auditors and their deputies, government trusties and their deputies and heads of city councils, gamgebelis and city mayors, interior and defense ministries, officers of the intelligence service and state guard, judges, ombudsman and his deputy, advisor to the president, members of the High Council of Justice, prosecutors and their deputies, investigators, members of the Communication Commission, and Energy and Water Regulatory Commission members.

Member of Parliament Zakaria Kutsnashvili from the Georgian Dream coalition said, presenting the amendments on Wednesday, that the draft will ensure an equal, competitive and fair election. He said that the amendments won’t allow for the use of administrative resources for political purposes. In case administrative personnel violate election legislation in favor of any election subject, the courts will reaction and they will be punished.

According to the current law, Election Commission members are not punished for such actions. The new draft would entail prohibiting election agitation inside election precincts on Election Day and 20 meters away from them.

“This means that citizens will have the possibility to enter election precincts from any entrance, while some women and men will no longer have the right to stand in the stairs holding long lists in hands and influence voters,” Kutsnashvili explained.

The bill prohibits financing programs with advantages or vouchers, pensions, etc, for voters 60 days before Election Day.

“No social allowance program can be increased in case it is not preliminarily foreseen in the budget,” Kutsnashvili said.

The bill will be put through a fast-track review process in parliament in July.