No Consensus over Election Code Amendments

(Tbilisi, May 31 2003, Civil Georgia) The special session of the parliament, during which the MPs discussed the Election Code amendments, yielded no results last night. Almost the entire parliamentary opposition, excluding the Revival faction, walked out from the session in sign of protest and threatened rally in front of the Parliament building on June 3.  

The Parliament did not vote for the cancellation of the present Central Election Commission (CEC), albeit the proposal was supported both by the pro-governmental and opposition parties during the discussions.

Moreover, the opposition did not agree with the new draft over the rules of composition of the CEC, submitted by the Socialists faction on behalf of the pro-governmental alliance.

The draft implies the composition of CEC of 16 members, 3 of which will be appointed by the President, 2 members – by the parties, which cleared the 7% barrier at the previous parliamentary elections, one member  – by the parties, which cleared the 4% barrier in the last year local elections, as well as the members from the Autonomous Republics of Adjara and Abkhazia.

The opposition parties considered this draft a trick against them.

Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze called the MPs to a consensus to ensure democratic and fair parliamentary elections in Georgia, scheduled for November 2003. 

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