The management and staff of the Georgian Central Election Commission, and its newly established Information Protection Centre, participated actively in a two-day online training on resilience to disinformation during electoral processes, as well as identification and risk-management of cyber-threats. .

Markus Adelsbach, Head of the Council of Europe’s Elections and Participatory Democracy Division, and Giorgi Kalandarishvili, Chairperson at the Central Election Commission, delivered opening remarks – emphasizing importance of preventing and responding to global challenges related to massive spreading of disinformation, misinformation and propaganda in the digital era.

During intensive two-day sessions - members of the election administration, election officials and the staff - deepened their knowledge of international instruments, with an emphasis on the Council of Europe acquis, and good practices in the following areas: monitoring disinformation in traditional and social media; vectors of disinformation, actors, forms, spread, content, targets and purpose; cyber-threats and identification of risks and effective risk-management from a legal and organisational perspective; artificial intelligence and digital manipulations; strategies, methodology and mitigation measures aimed at tackling disinformation and cyber-threats in electoral processes. At the group work sessions, participants discussed practical steps for proactive interventions to mitigate negative impact of disinformation on electoral environment and promote informed choice of voters.

The training was organised within the framework of the project “Supporting Transparency, Inclusiveness and Integrity of Electoral Practice and Process in Georgia”.