Georgian PM to Donald Tusk: election reform, justice both crucial
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia repeated that the government does not interfere in the court’s issues.
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Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakaharia has responded to the President of the European People's Party (EPP) and former head of the European Council Donald Tusk, who urged the Georgian Dream government to ‘fully abide by the March 8 election agreement’ and release co-founder of the opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi Giorgi Rurua.
Tusk, who chairs the party which is partnered with the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party, said that the 'EPP welcomed the March 8 Agreement between Georgia’s government and opposition as a key step to reduce tensions. We remain concerned that Giorgi Rurua is still in prison. We call for the full implementation of the agreement and Rurua’s release.”
Gakharia said that constitutional changes in Georgia are in progress and ‘I am sure the process will be complete as our country deserves this.’
The election system is critically important for Georgia’s further democratisation as well as the court to make decisions on concrete criminal cases or (alleged) offences,” Gakharia said.
The opposition says that they will not vote for the election bill if Rurua remains in prison.
The government and the ruling party say that they never interfere in the court’s issues as it is ‘unconstitutional and undemocratic.’
The ruling Georgian Dream party and the united opposition have reached an agreement on holding the upcoming parliamentary elections this October with 120 seats in the legislative body to be distributed via a proportional vote and the remaining 30 via the majoritarian system.
The Georgian parliament will discuss a bill regarding the upcoming parliamentary elections in the autumn on Sunday, June 21, in its first reading.
The European People’s Party (EPP) is concerned that the co-founder of Georgian opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi Giorgi Rurua remains in prison, the president of the party and former head of the European Council Donald Tusk said.
Tbilisi City Court has once again refused bail for the co-founder of the opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi Giorgi Rurua, who has been charged with the illegal possession of firearms.
With 136 votes in favour and five against, the Georgian parliament has passed an electoral bill establishing a more proportional electoral system in its first hearing today. The bill says that 120 seats in parliament will be distributed based on the votes received in proportional elections, while remaining 30 per the votes received in majoritarian elections.