Parliament Tries to Overcome Deadlock

(Tbilisi. March 18, 2003. Civil Georgia) – The Parliamentary special session fails to continue discussions over the increase of minimal salary and US-Georgian military agreement issues.

MP Koba Davitashvili of opposition National Movement appealed the court today claiming that the convention of the Parliamentary special session by the President was illegal.

President Shevardnadze rejects to veto the controversial law on raising the minimum wage to 115 Lari, proposed by the opposition United Democrats. Instead, Shevardnadze has convened Parliament special session for 18 March, “thus trying to block the proposal with the Parliament hands,” Zurab Zhvania, leader of the United Democrats claims.

The Parliamentary Committee on Procedural Issues ruled on 7 March that the original vote on the bill was invalid. That ruling triggered a four-day protest boycott by opposition factions.

The President and pro-governmental Parliamentary factions argue that the fivefold wage increase envisaged by the United Democrats’ proposal would endanger economic stability.

At the moment Parliamentary factions hold consultations to reach the compromise and make a breakthrough in the Parliamentary deadlock.

Because of the heated discussion over the issue last week, Parliament failed to discuss and ratify US-Georgian military agreement, although the majority of the MPs agree that the issue is vital and the agreement should be ratified.