Elections 2016: 24 days before Parliamentary Elections, two parties face court trials

With 24 days remaining until the people of Georgia must vote for who they want in power, it has emerged some political players have faced court trials.

Head of Georgia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) Tamar Zhvania said a political bloc involving Topadze Industrials-Our Country would participate in the October 8 Parliamentary Elections, despite the CEC annulling the bloc’s election registration this week.

Initially the CEC said the election bloc would not participate in next month’s vote due to "lack of necessary documentation to participate in the elections” however yesterday Tbilisi City Court overturned this decision and its verdict stated the Topadze Industrials-Our Country election bloc would participate in the vote

Today Zhvania reacted to the Court’s verdict.

The judge defined the law broadly and considered the bloc had presented all necessary documents. With only 24 days before the Parliamentary Elections, the CEC decided not to appeal the City Court verdict,” Zhvania said. 

The Industrials, as a separate party headed by Gogi Topadze, was a member of the Georgian Dream coalition that was established prior to the 2012 Parliamentary Elections. The aim of the GD coalition was to defeat the nine-year rule of the United National Movement (UNM)-led government. 

Meanwhile, also yesterday Tbilisi City Court fined the Alliance of Patriots political party $79,313,000 after the party received an illegal donation.

Georgia’s State Audit Agency filed a complaint with Tbilisi City Court and said the Alliance of Patriots received a $42,000 donation from three separate individuals totaling $126,000 when a party can receive no more than $26,000 from one physical entity annually. 

Tbilisi City Court upheld the complaint and issued a fine against the opposition party. The Alliance of Patriots intend to appeal the verdict. 

The Alliance of Patriots will take part in the Parliamentary Elections for the first time.