Yurii Miroshnychenko Participates in the 13th Annual Meeting of Election Management Bodies in Georgia
Member of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine, Yurii Miroshnychenko, took part in the 13th Annual Meeting of Election Management Bodies, held on 17–18 June 2026 in Batumi, Georgia.
The event was organized by the Central Election Commission of Georgia. For thirteen years, this international forum has served as a platform for professional dialogue, exchange of experience, and the development of institutional cooperation between election management bodies from different countries, contributing to the strengthening of democratic standards and global electoral integrity.
This year’s conference focused on the theme: “Disinformation Strategies, Artificial Intelligence, and the Role of Social Networks in Ensuring Information Integrity.” Participants discussed contemporary challenges facing election administrations in the context of rapid technological development and the transformation of the information environment.
The Ukrainian delegation included members of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine, Yurii Miroshnychenko and Andrii Hevko. The delegation also included Nataliya Podgorna, who provided expert communications support for the delegation’s work during the event dedicated to countering disinformation and developing strategic communications in the electoral sphere.
Across four thematic sessions, participants examined the impact of disinformation on electoral processes, voter behavior, and trust in electoral institutions; mechanisms for countering information manipulation; opportunities and risks associated with the use of artificial intelligence and social media in elections; and approaches to strengthening societal resilience to information threats.
Special attention was given to strategic communications, media literacy development, inter-institutional cooperation, and international collaboration as key tools for ensuring information integrity and trust in democratic processes.
The event was opened by the Chairperson of the Central Election Commission of Georgia, Giorgi Kalandarishvili. Welcoming remarks were also delivered by representatives of the Georgian government, parliament, and state institutions. In particular, the conference participants were addressed by Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze, Head of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara Zurab Pataradze, Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Georgia Archil Gorduladze, Chair of the Procedural Issues Committee of the Parliament of Georgia Davit Matikashvili, Public Defender of Georgia Levan Ioseliani, Chair of the Communications Commission of Georgia Goga Gulordava, and Head of the Public Service Development Agency of Georgia Rusudan Kokoze.
Moderators and speakers of the thematic sessions included Christy McCormick, Vice Chair of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission; Terri (Rita) Lee, Director of External Relations at the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB); Erton Sinani, Chief of Staff of the State Election Commission of Albania; Mohamed Mansour, representative of SMARTMATIC; as well as representatives of election bodies from North Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Kenya, India, Bhutan, Tunisia, Armenia, Uganda, Kyrgyzstan, and other countries.
According to Yurii Miroshnychenko, international exchange of experience is essential for responding effectively to new challenges facing electoral processes in the digital age:
“Today, disinformation is one of the key challenges to electoral processes worldwide. At the same time, the response to these threats must go beyond technological solutions or legal mechanisms and include strengthening societal resilience, developing critical thinking, and building trust in democratic institutions. This is why international exchange of experience in this field is of particular importance.”
The participation of representatives of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine in such international events contributes to the study of best global practices, the development of professional dialogue, and the strengthening of cooperation between election management bodies to ensure fair, transparent, and democratic electoral processes.