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Executive officials still demonstrated an obviously discriminatory approach to the opposition parties during the formation of the District Election Commissions (DECs). 

In 99.7% of polling stations the counting process was conducted without major incidents. The polling station #59 in Ozurgeti was an exception, where, apparently, there was a focused attempt to create disturbances and annul the precinct. 

In an assessment of the pre-election period ahead of the upcoming runoffs of mayoral races scheduled on November 12, ISFED observed instances of harassment and intimidation on political grounds in Ozurgeti.

35 EPDE election observers and experts from seven countries took part in the study trip organized during the parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic. On both voting days, the group observed the voting and counting process.

The Georgian local self-government elections took place on October 21, 2017. According to ISFED, the voting process was mostly conducted in compliance with election procedures. Violations were again reported in the electoral district of Marneuli.

There were no official international observers at the September 10, 2017 elections, but election commissions and media reported about a group of foreigners who came to Russia with the informal status of “foreign experts.”

On September 26, the Parliament of Georgia passed constitutional changes affecting the electoral system. Despite heavy protests by the opposition, civil society, and the Venice Commission, the mixed voting system will not be abolished until 2020.

Golos has criticized a draft report by the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights on the regional elections of September 10. The draft report includes a number of controversial recommendations for the future.

Municipal elections will take place in Moscow on 10 September 2017. Current campaigning is mostly taking place under the radar. Regional media, including city television and district newspapers, continue to pay little attention to the upcoming elections.

In 8 out of 16 regions, non-systemic candidates failed to overcome the “municipal filter” because of obstruction by local and regional authorities. 

For the past 15 years, Promo-LEX has actively promoted fair and transparent elections in Moldova and abroad, advocated and defended human rights and stood up for the civil society.

The Norwegian Helsinki Committee, an EPDE member, will organize for the fourth time the international election observation of the Norwegian parliamentary elections, which will take place on Monday, 11^th of September.

Belarusian authorities have not abandoned the repressive practices against their political opponents: peaceful protesters are still subjected to administrative liability, other civil and political rights are restricted, the country has new political prisoners.

The Council of Europe has recently published the new handbooks "Reporting on elections" and "Using international election standards", in which several EPDE members made their contribution.

‘Independent Observer’ Public Alliance identified widespread and organized abuse of administrative resources, unequal competition conditions for nominated parties and blocs.

Citizen Observer Initiative and Independent Observer Public Alliance together with the European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE) presented today their findings on the monitoring of election day held on 2 April in Armenia. 

On 26 March 2017 Russian police arrested hundreds of mostly young people for joining nationwide anti-corruption protests in Russia. Officially accredited Civic Monitoring Commission was deprived of the right to monitor the activities of the police. 

Citizen Observer Initiative and Independent Observer Public Alliance, together with the EPDE will announce their action plan for the election day on 2 April, 2017. They will also present their conclusions on the observation of the campaigning period.

The parliamentary elections held in Georgia on 8 October 2016 were generally in line with international standards.