President Shevardnadze Is Not Against Creation of Two-Chamber Parliament in Adjaria

President of Georgia Eduard Shevardnadze gave a positive appraisal to the decision by the Supreme Council of the Adjarian Autonomous Republic to create Two-Chamber Parliament to which 10 senators and 35 members (elected by proportional system) would be represented. Adjaria will have elections on its territory to this body, even if local self-governance elections would not be held on whole territory of Georgia.

President Shevardnadze stated: “Adjaria would not need to be ‘original’ in regard of local self-governance elections, planned for autumn. If the Parliament accepts my proposal on local self-governance, then elections would be held in whole Georgia, except the territories, which we do not control (Abkhazia and South Osetia). I think, that two-chamber legislative organ in Adjaria is completely acceptable.

However, President expressed his concern to the fact, that Adjiarian leaders did not inform the central government on possible changes in advance. He instructed the Ministry of Justice to study the decision of the Supreme Council of Adjarian Autonomous Republic to confirms that it does not contradict with the Constitution.