Georgia’s PM Initiates Changes to Constitution by Creating Special Working Group

TBILISI – Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has initiated the creation of a special working group that will be engaged in the process of making amendments to the Constitution following the elections.

The initiative was announced by the PM at today’s cabinet sitting, whereby he stated that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) wants a constitutional majority in order to fulfill its promises given to the population.

“GD is winning with an absolute majority, which first of all is a huge responsibility for us before the country and before voters,” he said, going on to underline that the constitution needs amendments, but that the process should be carried out through broad public involvement and without any haste.

Kvirikashvili also commented on the statements of the opposition, which said that if the GD gets a constitutional majority, there is a danger that the country may turn away from democratic principles.

According to the PM, such statements are speculations ahead of the second round of elections.

“These are totally unhealthy and artificial speculations. A constitutional majority is a big responsibility for the government, which aims at implementing ambitious plans for the country’s development,” he stated.

According to Kvirikashvili, civil society will be actively involved in the process of carrying out changes to the Constitution, in order to transform it into a democratic and European one.

Georgia’s President, Giorgi Margvelashvili, supports the initiative of the PM, saying he is ready to participate in the creation of a working group.

According to the Head of the President’s Administration, Giorgi Abashishvili, the President welcomes the initiative and is ready to establish a special working group which will involve the participation of the President, PM and the Parliament Speaker.

“The PM’s initiative will end speculations about the constitutional majority and will be of high legitimacy,” said Abashishvili.

The opposition party United National Movement (UNM) stated the constitutional majority represents a threat for Georgia and urged voters not to support the ruling team.

“I call on everyone who does not want the establishment of a one-party regime in this country to go out to the polling stations in the second round and vote for the UNM candidates and, by doing so, defend Georgian democracy,” the leader of the UNM, Davit Bakradze, said.

Moreover, a group of civil society members released a statement yesterday calling on pro-Western political parties which were unable to pass the 5 percent threshold in the first round, to support opposition candidates in the second run-offs. 

“A constitutional majority could damage the democratic process. It allows the ruling party to change the Constitution and violate the balance of powers between the branches of government,” the statement reads.

As a result of Georgia’s October 8 parliamentary elections, the ruling team already has 67 guaranteed seats in Georgia’s 150-seat parliament. If the GD manages to win in at least 46 out of 50 majoritarian districts during the October 30 second round elections, it will gain a constitutional majority in the new parliament.

Photo: Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili

Source: PM’s Press Office

By Thea Morrison