Parliament overrides Presidential veto on changes in Self-Government Code

Parliament of Georgia has overridden President Giorgi Margvelashvili’s veto on the planned changes in the Self-Government Code, referring to the rejection of a self-governing status for 7 cities out of 12.

78 MPs voted against the veto in the 150-member legislative body, while five lawmakers approved the president’s decision and his remarks over the changes yesterday.

Prior to the voting in the legislative body Parliament’s Legal and Regional Policy Committees  refused to support the President’s motivated remarks over the draft amendments , in which he stated the changes "weakened democracy” and "hindered the state decentralization”.

Responding to  this Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze stated that the President "failed to provide any genuine argument to prove his veto was relevant.”

The Georgian Dream ruling authorities, who initiated the amendments, stressed that producing more self-governing cities did not provide the economic and other benefits that had been expected.

 At least 76 votes were mandatory for overriding the veto.

Georgian Dream party has 116 lawmakers in Parliament.