Ruling party presents strategy for EU membership candidate status

The ruling Georgian Dream party on Friday presented its strategy for fulfilling the 12-point conditions outlined by the European Council for granting the country the European Union membership candidate status later this year.

The Political Council of the party met on Friday to discuss the matter of fulfilling the conditions, with Chairman Irakli Kobakhidze vowing the ruling team would ensure their fulfillment in “appropriate time and manner”, in accordance with the following plan:

• Point 1. Reducing political polarisation

In order to promote domestic political depolarisation, a Polarisation Monitoring Group will be set up under the Parliament of Georgia with the participation of all parliamentary parties, civil society representatives, and international partners. The group will carry out constant monitoring and present a weekly report to the public about the polarisation-related situation and trends in the country. The report will reflect recommendations for political parties, media outlets, nongovernmental organisations, and other entities involved in political processes. The composition and work format of the monitoring group will be specified on the basis of consultations with parliamentary political parties and civil sector representatives. The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament will ensure the coordination of the implementation of item 1.

• Point 2. Ensuring effective functioning of state institutions, parliamentary oversight, and election legislation

A working group will be established under the Procedural Issues and Rules Committee of the Georgian Parliament with the participation of representatives of all Parliamentary parties and the civil sector. It will provide a comprehensive assessment of the implementation of the Parliament’s regulations in the field of parliamentary oversight and will prepare a legislative initiative to correct any shortcomings identified. The corresponding bill will be submitted to the Parliament as an initiative no later than September 21 and will be adopted no later than November 1.

A working group for the revision of the Election Code will be created under the Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, which will include Parliamentary deputies from all parliamentary political parties as well as representatives of the Central Election Commission, the State Audit Service, and the civil sector. Amendments to the Election Code of Georgia will reflect, as appropriate, the recommendations provided by OSCE-ODIHR and the Venice Commission.

A corresponding bill will be submitted to the Parliament of Georgia no later than September 21 and will be adopted by the lawmaking body no later than December 13. The bill will be sent to the Venice Commission and OSCE-ODIHR for an opinion prior to passing its second hearing.

• Point 3. Judicial reform, changing the procedure for the election of Prosecutor General, and election of non-judge members of the High Council of Justice

The Judicial Reform Working Group under the Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliament will “actively resume” its work in the coming days and prepare a strategy and action plan for judicial reform, as well as a package of relevant bills on the basis of an “in-depth analysis” of the current situation in the judicial system.

The judicial reform strategy and action plan will be prepared and published by October 1. Legislative amendments will be prepared on its basis and submitted to the Parliament as an initiative by November 1. As soon as the bill is initiated, it will be sent to the Venice Commission and OSCE-ODIHR for an opinion. The discussion of the draft law in Parliament will begin as soon as the opinions from the Venice Commission and OSCE-ODIHR are received.

The draft constitutional law on the procedure for the election of the Prosecutor General will be submitted to the Parliament by September 1 and will be adopted by the Parliament no later than November 29. The Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliament will coordinate the adoption of the constitutional law.

The Parliament of Georgia will begin the selection process of non-judge members of the High Council of Justice no later than September 30, with voting for the election of Council members set to take place no later than November 15.

• Point 4. Anti-corruption measures

A working group will be created under the Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliament that will prepare the concept of the consolidation of anti-corruption functions, as well as proposals for the further institutional strengthening of the Special Investigation Service and the Personal Data Protection Service.

The composition of the working group will include deputies from all parliamentary parties as well as representatives of the Administration of the Government, the Prosecutor’s Office, the State Security Service, and the civil sector.

The relevant bills will be submitted to the Parliament no later than October 19, and adopted by the legislative body by December 1.

• Point 5. De-oligarchisation

A working group will be created under the Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliament that will include representatives of all parliamentary parties as well as the civil sector. The working group will work on a draft law on de-oligarchisation, which will be submitted to the Parliament of Georgia no later than October 5, and adopted by no later than November 29.

• Point 6. Combating organised crime and ensuring oversight of law enforcement

A working group will be created under the Defence and Security Committee of the Parliament that will include deputies from all Parliamentary parties as well as representatives of the Prosecutor’s Office, the High Council of Justice, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Security Service, and the civil sector.

By November 1, the working group will prepare an “in-depth assessment” of the current situation and develop proposals to “remedy shortcomings and further strengthen” the fight against organised crime.

• Points 7 and 8. Ensuring an appropriate media environment, effective investigation of crimes targeting journalists, and effective response to violence against vulnerable groups

The Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee of the Parliament, in cooperation with the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, will ensure the public availability of information about the investigation of all relevant cases.

• Point 9. Gender equality and violence against women

The Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee of the Parliament of Georgia and the Gender Equality Council will “work actively” toward preparing legislative proposals to promote gender equality and ensure an “even more effective” fight against violence targeting women.

A relevant package of bills will be submitted to the Parliament no later than October 5 and will be adopted by the lawmaking body no later than November 15.

• Point 10. Ensuring involvement of civil society in decision-making process

The Speaker of the Parliament will coordinate effective involvement of civil society representatives in all processes related to the fulfilment of conditions for the European Union membership candidate status. Additionally, mechanisms of involvement will be retained after the completion of work on the conditions.

• Point 11. Proactive consideration of the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg by the Georgian court

Taking into account the enforcement procedures of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee of the Parliament of Georgia will prepare a relevant bill and submit it to the Parliament as an initiative by September 1. The Parliament will consider and adopt the bill no later than October 18.

• Point 12. Election of the Public Defender

The Parliamentary majority will offer the Parliamentary opposition an “inclusive procedure” for the selection of candidates for the position of the Public Defender until September 1. This should ensure the nomination of an individual who will be “equally acceptable” to the majority and the opposition and, accordingly, will be elected to the position of the Public Defender with a “high degree of legitimacy”. Voting to elect the Public Defender will take place no later than December 1.