Ruling party, opposition agree on electoral constitutional amendments proposed by EU mediation
The amendments to the constitution will be tabled today in parliament. Photo: Georgian Dream's press office.
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The ruling Georgian Dream party and a number of opposition parties have agreed on several constitutional amendments put forward in a EU-mediated compromise back in April to end months of political standoff.
The news was first announced by ruling party chair Irakli Kobakhidze.
Today, we fully agreed with the opposition, who signed [European Council President] Charles Michel’s document, on the bill, which will be initiated and in which the transitional provisions of the constitution provide for the implementation of changes”, said Kobakhidze.
Based on the proposed amendments to the country’s constitution:
- The election threshold will be reduced from 4% to 2%
- The number of members to form parliamentary factions is reduced from seven to four
- The next Prosecutor General will be elected by a qualified majority or the support of 76 MPs will be enough
[European Council President] Charles Michel's document defines word for word what should be written in the constitutional law…the bill will be initiated on Monday”, Kobakhidze said.
Leader of the opposition Strategy Aghmashenebeli party MP Giorgi Vashadze also noted that the opposition and the government have agreed on a date to approve the constitutional amendments, at the latest in October.
Most importantly, we agreed that the constitutional amendments should be adopted by October at the latest. Hopefully, the Georgian Dream will fulfill its promise and we will not have to fight again”, said Vashadze.
The amendments to the constitution will be tabled today in parliament.
The Georgian parliament has adopted electoral amendments earlier today with its third and final reading which were initially proposed back in March 2021 by the ruling Georgian Dream party and Citizens opposition and later were revised in line with the April 19 EU-mediated agreement.
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