NEWS

Ruling party head vows “free, fair, competitive” 2024 parliamentary elections

Kobakhidze said the “practice of total falsification” of elections had “ended” in the country with the Georgian Dream party coming into power in 2012. Photo: Georgian Dream Press Office

Agenda.ge, 21 Nov 2023 - 17:07, Tbilisi,Georgia

Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday vowed the 2024 parliamentary elections in the country would be “free, fair and competitive”.

Kobakhidze said the “practice of total falsification” of elections had “ended” in the country with the Georgian Dream party coming into power in 2012.

In 2012, the practice of total falsification of elections ended in Georgia. After that, democratic, competitive elections have been held and these [upcoming] elections will also be free, fair and competitive”, he said.

The party official also commented on ongoing discussions on the current five percent election threshold for domestic elections - ahead of the 2024 vote - on the backdrop of opposition groups requesting its lowering to two percent, and said the Government had “no obligation” to lower the barrier.

He stressed a “high threshold” was needed for the “development of democratic processes” in the country.

Parliament working on legislation to ensure “ease of doing business”, “corruption-free environment” - Speaker

21 Nov 2023

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday said the lawmaking body was working on legislation that would ensure “ease of doing business” and “corruption-free business environment” in the country.

Parliament Speaker highlights “voluminous, detailed” deoligarchisation reform

21 Nov 2023

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday said the country’s deoligarchisation reform - aimed to meet one of the conditions outlined by the European Commission last year for granting Georgia the European Union candidate status - was “voluminous and detailed”.

Georgian Parliament delegation, UK officials discuss Russian occupation, Euro-Atlantic integration

21 Nov 2023

The current situation in Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), regional security environment and the process of the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration were discussed on Tuesday in a meeting between a delegation of the Georgian Parliament's Defence and Security Committee and officials of the United Kingdom Government in London.

Ruling party head defends Gov’t peaceful reintegration policy after comments by Saakashvili’s uncle

20 Nov 2023

Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday responded to comments by Temur Alasania, the uncle of the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili who criticised the idea of peaceful reintegration of the country’s Russian-occupied regions, by noting the outcomes of policies on the matter by the former United National Movement Government.

Parliament Speaker highlights “new chapter” on EU integration path

22 Nov 2023

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday highlighted “opening of a new chapter” on the country’s European Union integration path.

Ruling party head: former PM doesn’t qualify for oligarch status due to non-involvement in politics

22 Nov 2023

Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said Bidzina Ivanishvili, the former Prime Minister and the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, did not qualify for the status of an “oligarch” as he was not involved in domestic politics.

Parliament EU Committee Chair, US Embassy Counselor discuss Georgia's integration

25 Jan 2024

Georgia's European Union integration was discussed on Wednesday in a meeting between Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, and Marc Nordberg, the Counselor for Political and Economic Affairs of the United States Embassy in Georgia.