Representatives of Georgian regional media outlets and high-level election officials exchanged views and discussed ways to improve the media environment during elections at the workshop – “Media development and coverage of elections” held on 27 July 2024 in Ajara region. The Council of Europe continues to provide support and to foster dialogue in this area, through a communication platform bringing together the representatives of regional media outlets and the Supreme Election Commission of the Autonomous Republic of Ajara.

In their opening remarks Parmen Jalagonia, Chairperson of the Supreme Election Commission of the Autonomous Republic of Ajara and Svetislav Paunovic, Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Georgia emphasized the increasing importance of the role of regional media in electoral processes as well as the need to promote pluralism and diversity in the media to enable citizens to make informed choices in view of the 26 October Parliamentary Elections.

Representatives of leading regional media outlets - TV channels, online and printed media - actively engaged in discussions aiming at improving election and media environment. They covered number of key aspects of electoral process including media coverage of elections in the digital era, elections and media assistance, generative Artificial Intelligence and its impact on elections, election day and reporting, election blackout, exit-polls, public opinion polls, post-electoral coverage and strategies for tackling disinformation in the context of elections. Election officials also provided information about the new electronic voting machines which will be used for the upcoming Parliamentary Elections in Georgia.

The workshop provided an effective and beneficial platform for high-level election officials and journalists to engage in discussions, facilitated by the Council of Europe experts, to identify solutions and steps forward to improve the media environment and enhance the transparency and integrity of electoral processes. Participants underlined the importance of that existing communication platform between representatives of media outlets and the election administration of Georgia in contributing to a fair competitive electoral environment.

The workshop was organised within the framework of the Council of Europe Project “Supporting Transparency, Inclusiveness and Integrity of Electoral Practice and Process in Georgia”.