Govt', Opposition Holding another Round of Talks Today

Another round of talks between the government and the opposition is being held in the Sheraton Hotel in Tbilisi today. Foreign diplomats accredited in Georgia are also attending the meeting.

The opposition expects the government to submit specific proposals to amend the electoral system.

In their turn, the majority MPs say they will submit certain versions of the electoral system. Mamuka Mdinaradze, the leader of the Parliamentary majority, does not provide details about the government’s proposal.

The government and the opposition have already held three rounds of talks upon the initiative of foreign diplomats and international partners, aiming at reaching a consensus over amending the electoral system. However, all the previous meetings have ended without certain agreements and results. 

The meetings followed the rejection of the GD-proposed election bill on November 14, which aimed to move to a fully proportional electoral system starting from 2020 instead of 2024.

The opposition is now demanding a mixed electoral system for the 2020 elections based on the German model, which distributes seats in parliament based on votes received in proportional elections. 

By Ana Dumbadze 

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