ISFED report: How did Georgian lawmakers act in 2012-2016 Parliament?

Today Georgia’s one of the most influential Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO), International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), released a report describing activities of Georgian majoritarian Members of Parliament (MPs) in 2012-2016. 

The report covering the period between November 2012 and February 2016, reflected data on how many legislative initiatives had been pushed forward by the MPs, how often they used the Parliament tribune to address other lawmakers or public, or how intensively they missed plenary sessions. 

• Georgia has a mixed electoral system where 77 lawmakers out of the 150-seat legislative body are elected through party list, proportional voting, while the remaining 73 via majoritarian elections. 
• After the October 1 Parliamentary Elections in 2012, where the Georgian Dream (GD) coalition defeated the nine-year rule of the United National Movement (UNM), the GD gained 85 seats and the UNM-65 in the legislative body (later the configuration changed as several MPs quit both UNM and GD). 
• Through the 2012 Elections, based on initial data, the UNM had 33 lawmakers elected through the proportional system and 32 via the majoritarian race. 
• The GD had 44 MPs elected through proportional system and the 41 via the majoritarian race. 

During 2012-2016 331 draft laws had been presented in Parliament and this was done by only 36 majoritarian lawmakers out of total 73,” Executive Director of ISFED Mikheil Benidze said. 

Benidze stressed most of the draft laws-41 were initiated by David Onoprishvili (member of the Free Democrats party), by Vakhtang Khmaladze-33 (member of the Republican Party) and by Tamar Kordzaia-22 (member of the Republican Party). 

The report stressed 10percent of the majoritarian MPs had never delivered speeches at Parliament’s plenary sessions. 

Head of ISFED Mikheil Benidze named the majoritarian lawmakers who initiated most draft laws in 2012-2016 Parliament of Georgia. Photo by netgazeti.ge. 

30 percent of the majoritarian MPs used the Parliament tribune only 10 times, 17percent of the MPs used Parliament for delivering speeches 100 times and more,” the report read.  

The report said in 2012-2016 period the majoritarian MPs addressed inexcusable absences in 378 times. 

Only 11 majoritarian MPs didn’t miss any of the plenary sessions out of 73,” the report said. 

Leading positions in inexcusable absences were taken by Marika Verulashvili-19 (appeared in Parliament as UNM MP, later quit the minority), Kakha Butskhrikidze-18 (UNM), Levan Kardava-15 (UNM) David Bezhuashvili -14(UNM), Roland Akhalaia-13 (UNM), Zviad Kvachantiradze-13 (GD), Paata Lezhava-12 (UNM), David Tchavchanidze-12 (UNM), Gela Samkharauli-11 (GD), Leri Khabelovi-11( GD), Viktor Japaridze-11(GD). 

Only five lawmakers faced payroll deductions for the inexcusable absences,” ISFED said. 

The payroll deduction in the five cases ranged between $85-$320. Monthly pay for a Georgian lawmaker amounts about $1,600, Levan Avalishvili from the Institute of Development of Freedom of Information said. 

 The MPs who faced the one-time lack on their salaries were- Marika Verulashvili ($320), Koba Nakopia (UNM-$320), Teimuraz Tchkuaseli (GD-$170), Viktor Japaridze (GD-$164) and Roland Akhalaia (UNM-$85).