President Hails Approval of Baker’s Plan

(Tbilisi, July 28, 2003, Civil Georgia) – President Shevardnadze thanked today the MPs for approval of the new election code with the first hearing on July 24, taking into account the recommendations of the US administration delivered in Georgia by the US former Secretary of State James Baker.

“The new Election Code will be the basis for fair and democratic Parliamentary elections [scheduled for November 2],” Eduard Shevardnadze said in the radiobroadcast on July 28.

President Shevardnadze express!
ed hope that the opposition parties will reach an agreement over the Election Code during the second and third hearings.

The Revival Union, a political force backed by the Adjarian Autonomous Republic leader Aslan Abashidze, and the Industrialists demanded four and two seats respectively in the election commissions posing the toughest obstacles to a broad-based compromise.

These factions, as well as the part of the pro-Presidential Parliamentary factions will try to introduce some major amendments to the approved code during the second and third hearings, which are scheduled for this week.

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Election Code Passes the First Hurdle, Further Debate Pending