Joint Opinion on the Election Code of Georgia as revised up to July 2008

This opinion is offered for consideration by the authorities of Georgia, in support of their efforts to develop a sound legal framework for democratic elections. It should be noted, however, that the election legislation itself only forms the basis for holding elections in accordance with democratic standards. The extent to which any Election Code can contribute to the holding of democratic elections will largely be determined by the political will of state institutions and officials responsible for implementing and upholding the Election Code. The education of civil society and political entities on the election law, effective training of election officials and adherence to the law by all election stakeholders also play an important role in the implementation of democratic elections.