Ruling party to back “honest, impartial, qualified” candidate as new Public Defender

Anri Okhanashvili, the Head of the Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said GD would support an “honest, impartial and qualified” candidate as the country’s new Public Defender. 

Speaking to the media ahead of a meeting between his party members and opposition groups to discuss proposed candidates to the post - with the term of Nino Lomjaria in the position expiring this month - the MP said an agreement with the opposition on a joint candidate could be possible if the latter was guided with the “same criteria”. 

• Top candidate for public defender has “positive expectations”, says process “transparent”

The United National Movement, Lelo, Girchi - More Freedom, Citizens, For Georgia and European Socialists opposition parties, and MP Khatuna Samnidze, on Tuesday held a closed-door meeting with ruling party representatives over the subject, while Strategy Agmashenebeli party refused to attend. 

Selection of an “unbiased” Ombudsperson is one of 12 conditions outlined by the European Council for granting Georgia the membership candidate status next year, with the ruling party earlier conceding the opportunity of nominating a candidate to the opposition.

The approval of the new Public Advocate needs 90 votes in the 150-member Parliament. Photo: Parliament press office. 

The approval of the new Public Defender will require at least 90 votes in the 150-member Parliament, which means the ruling party - which currently has 75 MPs - and the opposition would need to cooperate for the selection.

A Parliamentary working group, created in September by the decision of Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, has evaluated 19 candidates based on the predefined criteria of “integrity, high reputation, impartiality and independence”, as well as professional knowledge and practical experience in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms. 

The group’s assessment was non-binding, with the opposition now expected to nominate its candidates and reach an agreement with the ruling party on a nominee supported by both sides.