On October 23, 2020 Tamar Zhvania, the CEC chairperson and Natia Zaalishvili, the Training Centre director held an informational meeting with the representatives of Foreign Embassies and Delegations operating in Georgia. Issues related to October 31, 2020 elections were discussed at the meeting..

The CEC chairperson briefed about the important initiatives and activities, carried out by election administration in order to ensure conducting of elections in safe environment under pandemic.

The Training Centre director provided the representatives of Foreign Embassies and Delegations operating in Georgia with the detailed information about various important topics related to the elections, such as:

• main amendments to the legislation related to the Electoral System and supporting women’s participation in the elections;
• regulations related to holding election in safe environment under pandemic;
• activities aimed at professional training of election commissions;
• informational campaign for the voters and informational/training programs for the stakeholders;
• electoral services offered to voters and stakeholders through using modern technologies;
• measures taken to ensure integrity and security of elections (such as, signing code of ethics with stakeholders, prevention of unlawful use of administrative resources, training for election administration and police on election security, prevention of disinformation and spread of hate speech). Activities aimed at supporting inclusive electoral environment, legal updates on adapted polling stations and training programs for vulnerable groups (including persons with disabilities).

The participant also got acquainted with the statistical data about the numbers of the representatives of electoral subjects, observers and media organizations registered for October 31, 2020 Elections.

Last part of the meeting carried on in Q/A mode, within which the Training Centre director delivered exhaustive information about epidemiological protocol active on the polling day and other topics of participants’ interest related to the elections.

The informational meeting was held in online format, with the support of LEPL - Levan Mikeladze Diplomatic Training and Research Institute of Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Twelve representatives from Foreign Embassies and Delegations operating in Georgia, attended the meeting, among them: Republic of Austria (Ambassador), Italian Republic (Deputy head of Mission); Federal Republic of Germany (Deputy head of Mission); Hellenic Republic (Deputy head of Mission); Czechia (Deputy head of Mission); Kingdom of Norway (Political and Economic Adviser); Delegation of the European Union to Georgia (Adviser to the Ambassador; Assistant to the Ambassador); Kingdom of Sweden (Second Secretary in Political Affairs); Republic of Lithuania (Third Secretary); Hungary (Consul); Japan (Political and Economic Officer).