Just two weeks prior to second round of elections, Georgian Dream initiated amendments to the Election Code seek to complicate negative campaigning, drawing freedom of speech concerns.
The move comes amid criticism of anti-opposition hate posters referring to key opposition leaders as “evil” and “traitors” and is initiated by ALMA an advertising company that rendered its billboard spaces. ALMA came under fire for refusing opposition European Georgia to display its billboard of satirical nature displaying Bidzina Ivanishvili as a character from George Orwell’s Animal Farm.
“The pre-election campaign will be regulated and in general any kind of negative attitude towards any election subject and candidate will be prohibited. Sanctions will be determined in this regard, which will be imposed by the Central Election Commission chairman and representatives of relevant district commissions,” - said Georgian Dream MP, Guram Macharashvili.
Georgian Dream also plans to amend the Law on Broadcasting banning the distribution of pre-election advertisements aimed at “creating a negative attitude towards the election subject/candidate.”
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