Parliament Fails to Progress in Local Self-Governance
Parliament failed to adopt the most important amendment to the law on local self-governance elections on April 10.
Only 110 MPs supported amendment considering elections of city mayors and heads of provincial districts, while 118 votes were necessary. City mayors and provincial governors will be appointed by the President, as it is now.
MPs could agree only on the formation of the central election commission.
Each party, which surpassed 4% barrier in last elections, will appoint two member of the commission. There are only 8 such parties. Representatives of Adjarian and Abkhazian autonomies and the President will be also presented in the commission.
In total central election commission will be composed of 19 members.
Although upcoming local elections, scheduled for June 2, 2002 will be held under supervision of the existing commission because in other case it would be necessary to postpone elections.
Pro-Presidential Parliamentary factions were against of city mayors and provincial governors’ elections.
Oppositional factions of the Parliament claim that with electivity of the mayors and governors, the President will loose political influence over the regions.
