Today, on April 24, finalizing meeting regarding the upcoming local self-government bodies’ elections that will be held on June 15, 2014 took place in the State Audit Office – concerning the imposing of the new regulations and responsibilities for the electoral subject as well as to discuss current financial issues.
Subjects, registered in the Central Election Commission, which submitted applications to participate in the elections, attended the meeting.
It should be noted that with the aim to better manage the pre-election period, in March and April 2014, several meetings with the NGOs, interested in the elections’ issues, were held in the State Audit Office. On the basis of the consultations with the non-governmental sector, the resolution of the State Audit Office Auditor General “On the settlement of some issues of the 2014 local self-government bodies’ elections” was prepared.
During the pre-election period on the basis of the above-mentioned:
• All the electoral subjects, registered by the relevant rules (political party, election block, initiative group) are responsible, after the legal act regarding the 2014 local self-government bodies elections come into force, to present 3-week period financial report according the rule established by the State Audit Office. This report should be presented with the following schedule:
o Information, from April 14 – May 4 of the current year – on May 7
o Information, from May 5 – May 25 – on May 28
o Information, from May 26 – June 15 – on June 18.
• Electoral subject is obliged to establish elections campaign fund. It is prohibited to open more than one account for the fund;
• Electoral subject is obliged to establish elections campaign fund within 15 days after the registration of a candidate and to finance elections campaign expenses only from the fund;
• In case of the initiative group, it is possible the fund to be established in the public register by the filling registration form as a result of which the registered fund will be accountable and also it is possible the new account opened by a candidate to be used for the elections campaign fund.
• During financing the elections campaign expenses by the electoral subject, it is prohibited to use other sources except fund’s money
• For the purchase of the necessary goods and service for the elections campaign, the expenses, taken before the formation of the subject’s fund and received revenues should be reflected in the forms N3 and N5, approved by the State Audit Office Auditor General resolution of August 17, 2012. Electoral subject, accordingly, will provide the adjustments of the forms N2and N4.
Except the above-mentioned resolution, as a result of the consultations with the representatives of the non-governmental sector, amendments were developed in the 2 Auditor General’s acting resolutions. These amendments are aimed at the simplification of the current rules and regulations and removal of the additional barriers for the political subject during the elections period. These amendments will also be discussed at the meeting with the representatives of the electoral subjects.
The presentation regarding the forms and deadlines of submitting different information envisaged by the legislation for the political unifications participating in the elections was held at the meeting. Consultations have been taking place for stakeholders in order to ensure transparent and equal terms management of pre-election period, according to the current legislation.
After the meeting, relevant letter and regulatory information of this and other technical issues were given to all electoral subjects in order to envisage all the current rules and regulations and to provide the management of the pre-election period without financial gaps.
Monitoring Service of the State Audit Office plans to hold such kind meetings in the different Georgian regions as well and expresses its readiness to provide phone consultation via hot line or with the help of employees and in case of necessity to hold additional training in order to provide, coming from the principles of equality, the management of transparent and fair election process, according to the current Georgian legislation.
The State Audit Office makes every effort to take into account interests of the electoral subject and donor individuals along with the protection of the law requirements, as it is important not to impose fines and sanctions, but it is priority to prevent violations. Thus, in some cases, we have been making every effort together with the supremacy of law, to provide impartial implementation of the granted authority and before imposing sanctions to use warnings and other ways of applying for law protection.
