President and Parliamentary Majority Discuss Constitutional Changes

The scheduled meeting between the Georgian President and the Parliamentary majority Georgian Dream (GD) was held on October 4 at the Presidential Palace.

President’s Press Office reports that Margvelashvili emphasized the necessity of consensus and expressed willingness to continue holding consultations with all political forces, if necessary.

The sides discussed key changes, which are to be made to the newly-adopted constitution.

The Head of the Administration of the President, Giorgi Abashishvili assessed the meeting as “interesting and constructive.”

He said conversation mainly touched upon the two topics that are included in the constitutional amendments: abolition of a bonus system and also allowing formation of election blocks for October 21 elections.

“President places special emphasis on reaching a consensus on the constitutional issues, finding common viewpoints, and reaching all-encompassing agreement on the document of consent – Constitution; therefore, in the days to come, the President and his team will spare no efforts to find common grounds for reaching a consensus. If necessary, meetings will be held with everyone, including the ruling political party,” Abashishvili stated.

Margvelashvili offered the Georgian Dream and other political parties to meet and discuss the Constitution in the last week. The President has already met with representatives of about 20 political parties to discuss the same topic.

However, Mamuka Mdinaradze, chairperson of the GD faction, says the president has not made the final decision over the two issues.

“It is up to the President. He must decide whether to reflect these two issues in his notes or not. If this is not taken into consideration, we will naturally try to override the veto," Mdinaradze said, adding the President said that in a few days he will make his final decision.

The parliament adopted the constitutional draft with its third and final reading on September 26 by 117 votes. The GD has 116 MPs in the 150-member parliament.

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 GD includes the abolition of a bonus system and also allowing formation of election blocks only this year.

The amendments envisage moving to a classical parliamentary model. They also imply moving to full proportional election system from 2024, instead of previously promised 2020.

The president and the opposition disagree with the majority over the last issue.

By Thea Morrison

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