Opposition waiting for final decision on Elections Code

A meeting between Parliamentary Speaker David Usupashvili and opposition parties to discuss amendments to the Elections Code ended without any major results.

Although about ten non-Parliamentary opposition parties’ representatives assessed today’s meeting at Tbilisi City Hall as mainly positive.

At the meeting, the sides discussed amendments to the Elections Code with Speaker Usupashvili. He believed the Bill would positively change several issues.

"Of course political parties have been dissatisfied however after today’s meeting the level of their dissatisfaction has relatively decreased,” Usupashvili said.

He believed amendments to the Elections Law referred to ‘air time’ of electoral subjects, financing of parties expected to gain public support in upcoming elections and other important issues.

"We have summarised our positions and the final decision will be made in one week. We agreed that all parties’ demands cannot be met. The main thing is the process has begun,” he said.

As for the increased elections threshold, Usupashvili confirmed part of the 70 directly elected Mayors and Governors must gain 33 percent of the votes while another part must gain 40 percent votes.

"In the ruling party we agreed that there should be some neutral threshold. It is better to have 33 and 40 percent threshold than not to have it at all, which could cause a person to win an election by only gaining a very low percentage of support,” he said.

One of the leaders of the New Rights Party Mamuka Katsitadze mentioned several positive factors were exposed after the meeting with Usupashvili.

"No issue connected with the Elections Code is entirely closed. In one week the Government will clearly respond to all our offers, including the compromise offer we already presented,” Katsitadze stated.

He felt the Government wanted the agreement to be a result of the wide political spectrum consensus.

After today’s meeting one of the leaders of the Christian-Democrats Movement Levan Vepkhvadze said he felt positive about the future.

"The Government has enough presence of consciousness to withdraw the process of the dead-end situation. It is good that they do not have a rigid position anymore. How our observations have been shared and we will be informed next week. Today’s discussion however makes me optimistic,” Vepkhvadze said.

Nino Burjanadze, leader of the Democratic Movement United Georgia party said she believed Parliament Speaker expressed his desire to see more compromises be reached.

"Very important issues have been mentioned at today’s meeting and I hope that they will be addressed, at least partly,” Burjanadze stated.

Not all political parties responded positively to the meeting.The leader of the Free Georgia Party Kakha Kukava said Usupashvili did not present anything new at the meeting and this once again proved he and the ruling party leaders, Zviad Dzidziguri and Gia Volskiy, had authority to made decisions on the Elections system reform.

"Their real function is to implement Bidzina Ivanisvhili decisions,” Kukava stated.

"We do not see any sense in meeting with Ivanishvili marionettes anymore. Our part will continue its campaign for free electoral environment,” he added.

This year, Tbilisi residents will be able to elect the Mayor of the capital city. For the first time, residents of the other 11 cities will also be able to vote for the Mayor of their choice. Georgian citizens of each region are also able to vote for the Government in 2014.

The Government plans to set a minimal threshold for electing mayors of self-governed cities in the first round of voting at 40% and at 33% for elected heads of municipalities.

Government officials believe this initiative will ensure a higher level of legitimacy.