Minister of Justice Rati Bregadze met with Owen Murphy, Head of the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission, to discuss ongoing efforts to ensure transparent and fair elections in Georgia.

During the meeting, Minister Bregadze highlighted the successful work of the Interagency Task Force for Free and Fair Elections (IATF), which operates under the Ministry of Justice. The IATF's mandate is to prevent and address violations of election laws by public officials. Notably, the Task Force not only responds to potential violations but also engages in proactive media monitoring to identify any signs of electoral misconduct.

Both parties expressed their commitment to continued collaboration.

The meeting was also attended by Deputy Minister of Justice Beka Dzamashvili, Head of the State Services Development Agency Ketevan Betlemidze, and Head of the Ministry’s Administration Department Manana Begiashvili.

For reference: On September 11, 2024, at the invitation of the Georgian government, the OSCE/ODIHR Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights deployed an election observation mission to Georgia to monitor the parliamentary elections scheduled for October 26, 2024. The mission will assess the elections' adherence to OSCE commitments, international democratic standards, and national legislation.

The IATF members reviewed the response to information gathered through media monitoring.

The session was chaired by Minister of Justice Rati Bregadze and attended by Deputy Minister Beka Dzamashvili, along with heads of public agencies that are part of the commission. Representatives from international and local monitoring organizations, as well as political parties, also participated.

The Interagency Task Force for Free and Fair Elections (IATF), established under the Election Code, aims to prevent violations of election legislation by civil servants and address any breaches. The IATF is led by Minister of Justice Rati Bregadze.

For inquiries regarding the commission’s activities, the IATF can be contacted via email at iatf@justice.gov.ge or through the hotline: (+995) 599 85 00 11.