Tbilisi. Representatives of the International Democratic
Institute (IRI) arrived in Georgia overnight on October 24 to observe the
presidential elections, scheduled for Sunday, October 27.
IRI will present its first assessment on
the second day after the elections, on October 28.
"IRI has been working actively with
Georgia since the revolution (the Roses Revolution). We are glad that we have
come to these elections that must be fair and free. We are here to confirm that
the elections are conducted in
conformity with standards, if they are held in such way. Members of the
delegation will be distributed in
different regions of Georgia. Georgia has become an example of freedom in the
region (in the South Caucasus)", head of the delegation Richard Williamson
stated.
It should be noted that representatives of
the National Democratic Institute have already come to Georgia. A part of the
delegation from the Council of Europe is expected in Georgia overnight on
Friday.
In July, the Foreign Ministry of Georgia
appealed to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE
PA, the Council of Europe, the Parliamentary Assembly of CE, NATO PA, the
European Parliament, GUAM PA, BSCE and the League of Arab Countries with the
request to send their observers in connection with the forthcoming presidential
elections. Besides, corresponding letters were sent to countries of EU, NATO,
GUAM and other partner countries as well as authoritative international
non-governmental organizations, such as the National Democratic Institute (NDI)
and the International Republican Institute (IRI), U.S. Helsinki Commission.
According to data of the Georgian Central
Election Commission, 65 international organizations will monitor presidential
elections in the country.