The Minister of Internal Affairs, Giorgi Mgebrishvili issued a special decree to ensure free, safe and peaceful environment for the upcoming self-governance and executive body local elections on October 21, 2017, which envisages additional measures by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The mentioned decree will be enacted today.
According to the special decree, for prevention of the offences as well as for timely and adequate response, special responsible groups will be formed in the regions of the country which will be tasked to identify possible threats, evaluate risks on the daily basis, plan the activities for police forces and organize their conduction.
This year, for the first time, special responsible groups will ensure the conduct the following activities in their operational areas:
Ensure peaceful and free environment during the election campaign by conducting relevant activities, including conduction of the preventive police actions defined by the “Law on Police” in case if there is reasonable ground for assuming that violence or breach of the public order and safety can take place, which may thus endanger the election campaign process.
On the Election Day, October 21, responsible groups will ensure the following on their operational areas:
- Police groups under the management of the special responsible groups will conduct preventive activities make response on violations in vicinities of the polling station on the Election Day in case if necessary for the protection of the public order and law in the exceptional cases defined by the Election code, article 59, part VII.
- In case of the request of the Precinct Election Commission chairperson, representatives of the police forces will carry out preventive activities and make response on the offences in the building of the polling station as provided by the article 59, VI of the Election Code of Georgia.
According the decree, while fulfilling service duties, police officers are also obliged to preserve political neutrality throughout the pre-election period and on the Election Day as well.
