Statements

Petition of non-governmental organizations specializing in elections to the President of Georgia, Mr. Mikheil Saakashvili

Dear Mr. President, 

First and foremost, we would like to welcome your willingness to nominate a candidate presented by non-governmental organizations to fill the vacant position of the chairperson of the Central Elections Commission. 

Pursuant to para.3, Article 10 of the Election Code of Georgia, non-governmental organizations would like to nominate Ms. Tamar Zhvania for the vacant position of the CEC chairperson. 

Hereby, let us inform you that Ms. Tamar Zhvania has been working in elections fields as early as since 2000 in the civil sector. She has an extensive experience in working in responsible positions specializing in elections. In 2004-2007 she served as an executive director of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy. Over the last five years she was team leader for elections for UNDP Georgia, managing joint EU and UNDP projects. She has experience in working on elections-related issues abroad, including as an international program manager for the National Democratic Institute. Ms. Tamar Zhvania served as a representative of international monitoring missions in various countries on behalf of the OSCE/ODIHR, NDI and Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. 

She is a fully accredited facilitator of the Building Resources in Democracy, Governance and Elections (BRIDGE) program. She has participated in various international trainings, projects and researches. 

We, the below signatories, were guided by the following criteria in selection of candidate: extensive experience of working in local and international organizations on elections-related issues, good knowledge of specificities of the work of election administration, track record of non-partisanship and certain personal qualities, including being a person of principle and objectivity. The below signatories believe that Ms. Tamar Zhvania fully meets the candidacy criteria. Further, we realize the responsibility that falls on the shoulders of monitoring organizations nominating candidacy for the position of CEC chairperson. 

We remain hopeful that you will support the choice of the non-governmental organizations and nominate Ms. Tamar Zhvania as a candidate for the position of CEC chairperson. 

We thank you for your attention and stand ready for further consultations. 

Eka Gigauri

Transparency International – Georgia

Nino Lomjaria

International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy

Kakha Kozhoradze

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association

Vakhushti Menabde

Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center

Ketevan Khutsishvili

Open Society – Georgia Foundation

Tamar Gabisonia

Article 42 of the Constitution 

Arnold Stepaniani

Multinational Georgia

Irine Putkaradze

Coalition for Civil Development

Ketevan Chachava

Center for Democracy and Development

Giorgi Tughushi

Georgian Democratic Initiative

Tamila Peradze

Election Environment Development Center

Aleko Tskitishvili

Human Rights Center

Aleksandre Kalatozishvili

Multiethnic Resource-Center for Civil Development

Daniel Davitashvili

Georgian Professional Educational and Qualification Staff Trade Union of Workers and Students