Ruling party head: EU, US ambassadors ‘seem not to be well-informed’ about ‘incorrect stipulation’ in constitutional bill
Head of the ruling Georgian Dream party Irakli Kobakhidze has responded to critical comments of the EU and US embassies on constitutional amendments. Photo: GD press office.
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Head of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party Irakli Kobakhidze has responded to the criticism of the EU and US embassies on the removal of a stipulation from constitutional amendments on the election rule of Georgia's prosecutor general.
Kobakhidze stated that the stipulation was ‘legal nonsense,’ noting that the US and EU ambassadors ‘are likely not to have had’ proper and correct consultations around the issue.
The statements released by the embassies are the result of an incorrect legal analysis,” Kobakhidze said and added that he is ready to meet with the ambassadors.
The Georgian parliament approved constitutional changes late yesterday with its first reading without the stipulation on the election rule of the prosecutor general.
U.S. Embassy Statement on Parliament’s First Reading of Post-April 19 Agreement Constitutional Amendments https://t.co/yPXzvlDalQ
— U.S. Embassy Tbilisi (@usingeo) September 7, 2021
The initial amendments, which were drafted in line with the April 19 EU-mediated agreement, proposed that the next two convocations of parliament must elect the country’s chief prosecutor by the support of three-fifths of MPs.
If the parliament failed to elect the prosecutor general twice in this way, then the parliamentary majority (at least 76 MPs) would elect him. However, the prosecutor general elected by the parliamentary majority would be elected for one year instead of six.
Prior to the vote Kobakhidze said that the stipulation was incorrect and weakened the institute of the prosecutor’s office, because reaching a large-consensus over a single candidate would be ‘actually impossible’ and finally the majority will have to elect the prosecutor general for a one-year term.
My remarks following the Parliament’s withdrawal today from the constitutional amendment on an improved appointment procedure for the Prosecutor General
— Carl Hartzell (@CarlHartzellEU) September 7, 2021
➡️ https://t.co/1gZHVtKMuT pic.twitter.com/0Dc1B8agiq
The EU and US embassies have assessed the removal of the stipulation as ‘yet another missed opportunity to increase the independence, transparency and integrity of Georgia’s judiciary’.
Other amendments approved yesterday include that the next two parliamentary elections in Georgia must be held with a two per cent election threshold and per a fully proportional electoral system and that the number of parliamentary faction members must not be less than four in the current and in the next two convocations of the state legislature.
Two readings are still ahead for the final approval of the amendments which will need the support of at least 113 MPs in the 150-member parliament.
The United States Embassy and the European Union delegation to Georgia have denounced the parliament’s failure to approve constitutional amendments aimed to ensure ‘broad, multi-party support for an impartial prosecutor general’.
Head of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party, MP Irakli Kobakhidze has reminded the parliamentary opposition that constitutional amendments related to electoral and other issues are a result of the party’s goodwill as the GD has withdrawn from the EU-mediated agreement.The agreement signed by the ruling party and the majority of opposition parties on April 19, 2021 obliged the signatories to carry out large-scale electoral and judiciary reforms.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has stated that the decision of the largest opposition party, the United National Movement (UNM), to sign the April 2021 EU-mediated agreement after more than four months since the document was signed by other parties ‘is a farce and lie.’ He said that the ruling party had waited for the UNM to join the agreement for 100 days and other opposition parties to fulfil the stipulations of the document which offered large-scale electoral and judiciary reforms.
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan has welcomed the largest opposition United National Movement (UNM) party’s decision to sign the EU-mediated agreement and stated that ‘it is a good sign for strengthening Georgia’s path forward.’
The ruling Georgian Dream party has launched a new weekly English-language podcast on Youtube oriented on the audience outside Georgia.
Head of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party, Irakli Kobakhidze, says that the party ‘has no obligation’ to support the constitutional amendments which offer a lower election threshold for the next two parliamentary elections.
MP from the United National Movement (UNM) Eka Kherkheulidze has said that the ex-president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili asks the opposition MPs to refrain from renouncing their mandates before the election bill providing for a lower election threshold is approved. Saakashvili, who had previously urged the opposition to leave their MP seats, has seemingly changed his mind after the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) head Irakli Kobakhidze noted that the ruling party has ‘no obligation’ to support the election bill for a lower threshold.
The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party says that it may accept a two per cent election threshold for the next two parliamentary elections, noting that ‘it will be [a sign of] the goodwill of the GD and will be dependent on how the opposition will act.’
Eighteen Georgian NGOs say in a joint statement that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party ‘must keep its promise’ on a lower election threshold for the next two parliamentary elections and a fully proportional electoral system, and ‘must support’ the constitutional changes which were proposed in the April 2021 EU-mediated agreement.
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan says that she respects the experience and professionalism of the head of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party Irakli Kobakhidze in the constitutional law, but says that the party ‘should keep its promise’ and support the electoral bill which offers a two percent election threshold in the next two parliamentary elections.
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Erika Olson says that the Georgian Dream government ‘has committed to judicial and electoral reforms’ and that Washington ‘really wants to see it follow through on those commitments.’