Georgia’s Prime Minister met with the President of the Venice Commission Gianni Buquicchio today in the country’s western seaside city of Batumi to once again discuss the changes in the country’s constitution which aim to produce "not only a legitimate, but also a most refined document.”
Kvirikashvili told the Venice Commission official that the amendments in the country’s main law [in the constitution] were elaborated through the active engagement of NGOs, politicians and independent experts, which was followed by "unprecedented public discussion.”
Met @giannibuquicch1. Discussed constitutional amendments which seek to put in place a well-balanced #constitutionhttps://t.co/UqKUFbv3jRpic.twitter.com/jDr9nB2dFH
— Giorgi Kvirikashvili (@KvirikashviliGi) 29 June 2017
Georgia will have a constitution that will ensure a full value parliamentary governance model and a more effective government. The constitution will also clarify the president’s role as a neutral arbiter and provide better public safety and human rights protection,” Kvirikashvili stated.
The PM also highlighted the majority’s decision over moving to a fully proportional election system from 2024 and noted "none of the Georgian governments have ever made a solution to reject the majoritarian elections”.
After the meeting with Buquicchio Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze, who chaired the Constitution Commission that produced the draft of the changes in the four-month time, stressed that Georgia will have "not only a legitimate constitution, but also the most refined document.”
The Conference of European Constitutional Courts is being held in Batumi. Photo by the Prime Minister's press office.
Both the Prime Minister and the Parliament Speaker thanked Buquicchio and the Venice Commission for their "huge merit” and recommendations in the process of adopting the constitutional changes.
They stressed the government and parliament would continue consultations with the Commissions in order the final version of the constitution to be "in full line with highest European standards and the demand of the Georgian people”.
The Venice Commission chairperson stated after the meeting that he had a "very good” discussion with Georgian officials.
He stressed that the country’s new constitution should have "very high legitimacy” and vowed he would consult with all relevant political players in the country to support the final version of the law that should be received through a "large-scale consensus.”
Buquicchio also participates in the Conference of European Constitutional Courts. The event is held in Georgia’s Black Sea resort city of Batumi from June 28 to July 1.
He is scheduled to meet President Giorgi Margvelashvili and representatives of the opposition.
The Venice Commission released its opinion about Georgia’s revised draft of the constitution a week ago.