On July 26, Election Media Centers were opened at the Centers for Civic Engagement (CCE) in ten cities of Georgia, namely, Akhlatsikhe, Batumi, Gori, Kutaisi, Marneuli, Ozurgeti, Rustavi, Sagarejo, Telavi, and Zugdidi.
The opening ceremony started with a welcoming video address from the Head of USAID Caucasus Office, Douglas Ball, who encouraged local and national media, CSOs, government, citizens, and political parties to actively use the Centers to learn and disseminate critical election information.
The Media Centers will offer citizens, journalists, civic groups, authorities, and election subjects a neutral space for organizing public events aimed at increasing citizens’ knowledge of and participation in the electoral process.
In particular, the Media Centers will:
• Organize and host media briefings and pre-election debates between candidates (both national proportional candidates and single-mandate majoritarian candidates) and political parties to publicize their election platforms, engage with journalists, and respond to citizens’ concerns;
• Serve local and national journalists by providing information on key issues related to the elections (new electoral district boundaries, election administration procedures, voter registration and voting procedures, comprehensive lists of participating parties and candidates, etc.);
• Organize and host discussions—to be led by experts and observers—on recent developments in the electoral process.
• Host and co-organize CSO discussions on the most important electoral developments; Support CSO initiatives aimed at bringing citizens’ needs and concerns to the attention of political parties and candidates;
• On Election Day, serve as the local hub for election-related activities: host media briefings for candidates, parties, and monitoring organizations on the quality of election administration and conduct; provide a safe, neutral working environment (including high speed internet connectivity) for monitoring organizations, local groups, and journalists.
• In the post-election period host media briefings of political parties and election monitoring organizations on the quality of election administration and conduct (i.e. complaint adjudication and finalization of the election results).
The Media Centers will operate until December 31, 2016, Mondays through Saturdays. On Election Day, the Media Centers will open one hour prior to the opening of the polling stations.
For more information about the Media Centers, please visit the website www.cce.ge.
