Legal Framework Module – Georgia

Following the capacity building initiatives, launched in March 2009 with the Needs Assessment and implemented through the TtF (July 2009), 5-day BRIDGE workshops (20) for the member of District Election Commissioners (August-October 2009) and 5-day workshop for CEC PR Department (October 2009), the 4-day workshop for the CEC/Georgia Legal Department on Legal Framework module was conducted on 16-19 October, 2010 in GPH hotel, Kobuleti, Georgia.

The BRIDGE project in Georgia is implemented by UNDP project Promoting Dialogue and Capacity for Effective National Electoral Processes funded by the European Union. Three major components of the project support are: Facilitation of a Revised Electoral Code, Effective Electoral Administration and Other Stakeholders, Voter Education and Public Awareness.

The workshop was facilitated by Natia Kashakashvili and 2 semi-accredited facilitators Giorgi Sharabidze and Tamar Zhvania. Participants were mainly represented from Legal department (13 staff) and the rest were from CEC Field Operations Department (3), CEC members with the legal background (4) and UNDP project Legal Expert.

Through the training the main topics of interest were revealed: electoral system design, international standards of elections, formation of EMBs and especially the different models of EMB operations, drafting training manual/instructions based on the procedures and different models of counting of votes.

The workshop went in an environment where all the participants were actively involved in all group-activities and were very attentive during the feedbacks. Through the verbal and written evaluations the participants acknowledged the BRIDGE methodology and appraised the BRIDGE handbook and workshop content. All of them noted the will to expand the knowledge through the future BRIDGE workshops on different modules of BRIDGE. The Legal Department head (who has semi-accreditation from TtF 2005) expressed special gratitude to the UNDP and BRIDGE project for the efforts to enhance the capacity of the legal department staff. The participation of the CEC 4 members in the workshop was particularly significant as their positive attitude towards the workshop shall benefit the upcoming CEC members’ BRIDGE workshop and promote interest of other members for the workshop targeted for them.

At the end, participants were granted the certificates for the completion of the Legal framework Module.

Natia Kashakashvili

October 2010