In cooperation with the Central Election Commission (the CEC) and the Center for Electoral Systems Development, Reforms and Training (the Training Center), the CoE Georgia Office organized the training of Trainers on the topic: “Reviewing Electoral Disputes – National and International Standards”. The trainings were conducted during the period of August 6-7, 2020, and the employees of the CEC Legal Department, Audit Department and Training Center took part in it.

Tamar Zhvania, the CEC Chair, Vahagn Muradyan, the Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Georgia and Keti Maisuradze, Head of the Georgian Representation of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) opened the event.

Nana Daraselia and Shota Getsadze, judges of the Tbilisi Court of Appeals, invited by the CoE office in charge of experts, discussed the following significant topics with the training participants: international standards and principles for democratic elections; amendments to the electoral legislation of Georgia; overview of the election administration and the practice of common courts; European Court on Human Rights case law on electoral disputes. While Chad Vickery, Vice President of the IFES, involved in the program as an expert, shared with the participants USA judiciary practice in relation to the electoral disputes.

The goal of the implemented training program is to support institutional strengthening of the election administration. At the following stage, the trained trainers will deliver trainings to the members of district election commissions.

The event was implemented as part of the Council of Europe Project “Supporting Transparency, Inclusiveness and Integrity of Electoral Practice and Process in Georgia”.