Parliament official on deoligarchisation bill: Venice Commission’s opinion should be consistent with principles of democracy, rule of law
In his remarks over the matter, Okhanashvili noted the Georgian parliament expected to receive “legally analysed" opinions and recommendations from the Commission. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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Anri Okhanashvili, the chair of the Georgian parliament's legal affairs committee, on Tuesday said the Georgian parliament expected an assessment from the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission on the deoligarchisation bill that “is consistent with the principles of the rule of law and the European legal framework”.
The comments follow the statement by Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Georgian Dream executive secretary, who on Monday said the ruling team had decided to forward the bill for comments to the Commission, instead of the planned session of the third reading of the draft at the parliament.
In his remarks over the matter, Okhanashvili noted the Georgian parliament expected to receive “legally analysed" opinions and recommendations from the Commission.
We expect an assessment that is consistent with the principles of democracy and the rule of law, that is in line with the European legal framework and that is based on fundamental European legal principles and a constitutional legal approach”, Okhanashvili said.
"If this expectation is not met, then we will see what type of opinions will be developed - we will not enter into the evaluation in advance, as we have a legitimate expectation that we will receive legally analysed opinions and recommendations", he added, noting the expectation was for an opinion that took into account "the principles of the best European framework, and certainly not a political document that has nothing to do with legal principles”.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the ruling team had taken into account the recommendations of Oliver Varhelyi, the European Union commissioner for neighbourhood and enlargement, and the EU ambassador to Georgia, on forwarding the domestic bill on deoligarchisation for comments to Venice Commission.