Tbilisi, Georgia, April 14
By Nana Kirtzkhalia - Trend:
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has declared a moratorium on the legal proceedings against the persons participating in the pre-election campaign. Garibashvili put forward this initiative at the government meeting on April 14.
The elections to local self-government bodies should once again show that real changes have taken place in Georgia and the country is governed by a political team going towards democracy and is a guarantor of free and fair elections, according to the country's prime minister.
"We will make every effort for all parties to have the opportunity to conduct a full-fledged campaign. Namely, therefore, I want to declare a moratorium and to address to law enforcement agencies asking [them] to refrain for maximum from the legal restriction of the freedom and detainment of persons which are actively involved in the pre-election campaign. This should be done in an extreme case, yet only when there is a clear, reasonable necessity," Garibashvili said.
Georgian prime minister also urged media outlets to be objective and unbiased during the pre-election period.
"I want to urge all media outlets to cover the pre-election period objectively and impartially and to provide full information for the society. I want to stress that the main priority of our government during the pre-election period is to ensure the political freedom," Garibashvili said.
The elections to local self-government bodies in Georgia will be held on June 15.
Translated by L.Z.
Edited by C.N.