US Secretary of State Pompeo welcomes adoption of Georgian constitutional amendments
US State Secretary Mike Pompeo has responded to the adoption of the Georgian election bill. Photo: AP.
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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has welcomed the adoption of Georgian constitutional amendments on June 29, calling on the Georgian parliament ‘to honour the will of the Georgian people and the pledge of Georgian officials related to the implementation of internationally recommended election reforms.’
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has responded:
Grateful to our US friends & partners for their support & engagement in consolidating democracy in Georgia.????????????????strategic partnership is as strong as ever. Working together, we're deepening our robust cooperation in all key areas. @SecPompeo @StateDept https://t.co/7FiUooZtmE
— David Zalkaliani (@DZalkaliani) July 1, 2020
117 MPs voted for the bill which was drafted per the March 8 election agreement between the Georgian Dream ruling party and the united opposition, in talks mediated by the diplomatic corps.
The European Georgia and the United National Movement opposition parties refused to participate in the vote.
A bill has been registered in parliament per the agreement of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and the opposition on March 8.
Member of the European Parliament, Co-President of the Euronest PA, Andrius Kubilius has welcomed the adoption of Georgian constitutional amendments on June 29 which will ensure more proportional electoral system for the autumn parliamentary elections.
High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell Fontelles, has welcomed the adoption of the constitutional amendments by the Georgian parliament yesterday.
The Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has signed the bill of amendments to the election system, calling the constitutional changes a serious step towards democracy and stability. The Georgian parliament has passed an election bill drafted with the mediation of the diplomatic corps in its third and final reading earlier today.
Eighteen opposition parties, who participated in the election talks with the ruling Georgian Dream party mediated by the diplomatic corps, continue to demand the ruling party ‘fully abide’ by the March 8 election agreement and release co-founder of the opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi Giorgi Rurua.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia says that the historic political process of adopting constitutional amendments to Georgia’s electoral system ‘must culminate in democratic, transparent elections.’
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit Georgia on November 17-18, the Georgian Foreign Ministry stated earlier today. The ministry says that the visit ‘once again points to the firmness of the US-Georgia strategic partnership and reaffirms the commitment of the two countries to further strengthen ties.’ The ministry stated that meetings with top Georgian officials will focus on the priorities under the United States-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili welcomes the upcoming visit of the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo next week. Zurabishvili wrote on Twitter that the support from the US as ‘a strategic partner’ is important for the ‘democratic development and for peace and stability in the region’.