CUG Candidate to Chair the Human Rights Committee

(Tbilisi, January 28, 2003. Civil Georgia) – At the Parliamentary special session today MPs elected Nana Bichiashvili of pro-governmental Citizens’ Union of Georgia (CUG) the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights.

The issue of election of the Committee Chairperson overshadowed planned second and third hearings of the 2003 budget.
 
All the three opposition contenders to the committee chairmanship withdrew their candidatures before the voting. As a result Nana Bichiashvili ran uncontested.

During the morning session the United Democrats faction demanded to postpone voting as their candidate – former Chairperson of the Committee – Elene Tevdoradze could not attend the session. Elene Tevdoradze participates in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

This initiative was supported by other opposition candidates, but failed to pass as the CUG and other pro-governmental factions insisted on election of the Committee Chairman. To protest this decision the opposition candidates withdrew.

Opposition protested against Bichiashvili’s election claiming she is a close associate of President Shevardnadze’s family, thus her election would be inadmissible. 

MP Elene Tevdoradze of the United Democrats opposition faction was left the chairmanship as a result of redistribution of the Parliamentary committee posts last summer, after the CUG’s majority faction has collapsed.