ISFED claims that the deadline for electing the CEC's chair and members has passed

According to the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), which urged the Georgian Parliament to act immediately, the Georgian Central Election Commission's (CEC) deadline passed.

ISFED stated in a statement, "Unless otherwise provided for by a legislative act of Georgia, the Parliament should elect the CEC chairman and members within two weeks following the President's nomination of candidates (Article 204, Paragraph 7)." ISFED observed that the Parliament must elect CEC members no later than 14 days following the President of Georgia's submission of nominees to the Georgian Parliament (Article 12, Paragraph 9). 

ISFED asserts that a two-week election period has already passed because Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili offered two candidates for CEC chairperson and two for membership for each open seat on August 5 and 26.

Georgian opposition is divided on securing the state's border with Russia

Opposition lawmakers in Georgia disagree on whether to seal the state border with Russia at the Lars checkpoint.

"I would close the border if I were in charge. Defections from Russia are not necessary. You are now reminded of how terrible war is and how Russia attacked Ukraine. I have no sympathy for people like this," Aleko Elisashvili, the head of the Citizens Party, said. "These are the same individuals who applauded when Putin invaded Georgia and Chechnya and took Crimea and Donbas," Elisashvili stated. According to Elisashvili, the Georgian government should implement a visa policy, permit entry of ethnic Georgians and Georgian citizens, and forbid Russian citizens from acquiring public property. "We must avoid being deceived. They're trespassers. Let them go back to Russia and confront Putin," Elisashvili said. 

Davit Usupashvili, the Lelo party member, believes that the influx of new Russian citizens must be watched over and managed. "The requirements for visas should be strict," Usupashvili stated. "It is wrong to let Russian nationals in without restriction. It is necessary to tighten the terms and circumstances of the visa policy. The government should have taken action long ago," a Lelo party member said.

According to Giorgi Vashadze, the leader of the Strategy Aghmashenebeli party, the border with Russia should be immediately secured to prevent a country's takeover without tanks.

The Speaker promises that working groups on EC topics are welcome

According to Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of the Georgian parliament, the door to working groups on EC objectives should stay open, regardless of whether opposition members enter. He remarked, "We cannot compel someone to be part of the process." 

"The only thing we can do is to widen the door for other political organizations that might not participate in the process," he added. Papuashvili promised that the ruling team was focusing a significant duty on the 12 suggestions made by the European Commission.

Georgian Dream MP Mikanadze: "Unanimity within UNM is deteriorating"

Givi Mikanadze, a member of the ruling Georgian Dream party, asserts that a rift within the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party is deepening every day. 

The GD MP said that UNM leader Nika Melia openly stated during a live interview that Davit Kezerashvili was inappropriate for politics and personally unacceptable to him [Melia] and added, "Now we see the dispute that originates from money difficulties." "The UNM has been divided into many units once more. We see that this party is simply concerned with money, certain party interests, and some way of regaining and seizing power," Mikanadze claimed. 

Melia stated in an interview with GPB First Channel that the farther Kezerashvili is from Georgia's political spectrum, the better it is for him and the nation.

Later, Elene Khoshtaria of the Droa Party wrote on Facebook that her party would keep working with Kezerashvili.