Majority Accepts President’s Offer to Discuss Constitutional Changes

Ruling party Georgian Dream (GD) has accepted the offer of the President Giorgi Margvelashvili to meet on Wednesday at 16:00 and discuss changes to the newly-adopted Constitution.

“We are ready to meet. It means the meeting will be held and that is very good,” GD MP Eka Beselia stated.

The Georgian Presidential Administration named a particular date of holding a meeting with Georgian Dream on Tuesday.

“The President remains open to communicate with all political parties over the political issues, naturally, including Georgian Dream but speculations are still underway,” Presidential Administration Head Giorgi Abashishvili said.

Majority member Levan Gogichaishvili welcomed the appointment of the meeting. According to him, it is better to meet and negotiate at the table rather than to criticize each-other in public.

“I am always for the direct dialogue,” he added.

Margvelashvili offered consultations to the opposition and the ruling party after the parliament adopted the constitutional draft with its third and final reading on September 26.

The ruling party wants to make a few changes to the constitution, after the Venice Commission’s preliminary report over the issue.

The initiative of the ruling party included the abolition of a bonus system and also allowing formation of election blocks for October 21 elections. The amendments envisage moving to a classical parliamentary model.

However, the GD initiative does not envisage the introduction of the proportional election system by 2020, as it was first agreed between the Venice Commission, majority and the opposition parties.

Instead, the changes imply introduction of a fully proportional electoral system from 2024, while the next 2020 elections will still be held under the existing mixed electoral system and with one-time 3% election barrier.

As for presidential elections, according to a new constitution, the President will be elected indirectly, by special electoral boards composed of 150 MPs, all members of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republics and voters named by the parties according to the results of the recent local self-government elections.

However, in 2018 the direct presidential elections will be held in order to elect the president for 6-year term.

The parliament of Georgia approved the constitution draft by 117 votes. The GD has 116 MPs in the 150-member parliament.

By Thea Morrison

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