A Study Visit to Georgia for Enhanced Understanding of Electoral Processes

From 26 to 29 March 2024, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) organized a study visit to the Central Election Commission of Georgia for representatives of the BiH Central Election Commission (CEC), the BiH Agency for the Protection of Personal Data, the BiH Agency for Identification Documents, the Records and Data Exchange as well as the BiH Parliamentary Assembly. This visit provides insights into the application of election technologies and electoral processes.

Giorgi Kalandarishvili, Central Election Commission of Georgia Chairperson, emphasized the significant international interest surrounding Georgia’s Election Administration operations and the utilization of technological advancements. "I am pleased to announce that, under the auspices of the OSCE Mission, we are currently hosting a delegation from Bosnia and Herzegovina. This presents an opportunity for us to impart our insights into Election Administration practices, particularly concerning the integration of technology, and other relevant electoral matters."

“The study visit to Georgia is being undertaken at a crucial moment for Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is because the experiences and lessons learned from a country that has implemented as many as 8 pilot projects are essential at this juncture, particularly as Bosnia and Herzegovina embarks on significant reforms regarding the piloting of election technologies. We are grateful to the OSCE Mission to BiH for facilitating the transfer of Georgia's experience to the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Irena Hadžiabdić, President of the BiH Central Election Commission.

The study visits to the Central Electoral Commission of Georgia featured presentations on experiences by electoral implementation bodies and other institutions involved in the political/legislative processes preceding the pilot project implementation. Topics included procurement modalities, staff training, data transfer, cyber security, and other issues pertaining to the introduction of election technologies

“As we navigate the complexities of electoral processes, it is imperative that we remain open to learning from the experiences of others, and Georgia certainly has a lot of experience with election technologies to share. By actively learning and adapting, we can strengthen our endeavours towards electoral reform” said Ahmed Rifatbegović, National Political Officer at the OSCE Mission to BiH. “Addressing electoral fraud and corruption is essential to rebuilding trust in the electoral process and governmental institutions, marking a crucial step towards restoring public confidence.”

The study visit also resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between CEC BiH and CEC Georgia, as well as for discussing the modalities of further cooperation between the two election management bodies.

This study visit is part of the OSCE Mission to BiH's broader project, "Improving the Integrity of Electoral Processes in 2024 and 2026 in accordance with the recommendations of the ODIHR and international standards." This project is implemented with the support of the Governments of the Germany, Kingdom of Norway, United Kingdom, and USA.