US Senators Praise Georgia’s Electoral Reform

United States Senators Jim Risch, a Republican from Idaho who is also chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire and a ranking member of the Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, released official statements as a reaction to the decided electoral reform between the Georgian administration and the opposition.

Risch said he anticipates seeing the settlement's ‘full implementation’ in the near future. “I am pleased to say that this agreement is a critical step towards restoring democracy and good governance in Georgia. As Georgia prepares for parliamentary elections later this year, it is imperative that the agreed-upon changes be put into place quickly, and honored by all sides. The United States looks forward to seeing fully free and fair elections in Georgia this fall, and I commend all parties for making the difficult compromises needed to move Georgian democracy forward,” Risch emphasized.

The Senator further stressed that he supports “the promise made in the joint statement on Sunday to address actions that could be perceived as inappropriate politicization of Georgia’s judicial and electoral processes and I expect to see the release of politically-motivated detainees imminently.”

Senator Shaheen underlined that she is “encouraged to see the Georgian government take the first step in making good on its promise of electoral reforms.”

“This is crucial for their nation’s democracy. Since 2012, we’ve seen Georgia work diligently to make this democratic transition and they’ve made important progress toward that goal over the last eight years. I also appreciate Georgia heeding mine and Senator Risch’s concerns about respecting civil engagement and the voices of the Georgian people, which is a core tenet of a democratic society. I’m hopeful that Georgia will continue down this path and remain committed to strengthening their democratic institutions,” Shaheen affirmed.

The agreed electoral model between the government and opposition, which was signed on Sunday, requires that 120 MPs be voted for proportionally, whilst 30 will be chosen by majoritarian rules. To further examine the agreement, no party can be handed a majority in Georgia’s unicameral parliamentary system, unless it has established at least 40% of the total vote.

By B.Alexishvili