Pro-Governmental Factions Block the Baker Plan
MPs fail to adopt a new Election Code, as 12-hour long heated debates in the Parliament ends without any result. Opposition claims the pro-Presidential faction in the alliance with the Revival and Industrialists try to hinder implementation of the Baker Plan on composition of the Central Election Commission (CEC)
All night long, from July 30 through July 31 opposition tried in vain to convince the pro-Presidential factions to endorse by the second and third hearings a new Election Code, which is based on the recommendations of the US administration. The document, which already approved by the first hearing on July 24, includes all main provisions delivered to Georgia by the former US Secretary of State James Baker in early July.
However the pro-Presidential factions lobbied endorsement of the Revival’s proposal on composition of the CEC. According to the draft several major opposition parties, including Zurab Zhvania’s United Democrats and Mikheil !
Saakashvili’s National Movement would have been deprive!
d of the seats in the CEC.
Opposition objected the proposal claiming that the document contradicts the fundamental principles of the Election Code already adopted by the first hearing, which considers distribution of the seats in the CEC evenly among the nine opposition parties.
“It is certain that, the Revival, Industrialists and the pro-Presidential factions intend to obstruct adoption of the new election code, as they aim to maintain existing CEC, which is completely discredited,” Gigi Tsereteli, Vice-Speaker and the member of United Democrats said at the Parliamentary session on July 30.
After it became clear that the adoption of the draft Election Code by second and third hearings was doomed to failure, the opposition factions United Democrats, National Movement, New Rights and Traditionalists used the procedures of the session to delay the voting.
Even the phone conversation between Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze !
and President Shevardnadze could not resolve the deadlock. Nino Burjanadze urged Eduard Shevardnadze in vain to interfere and convince his supporter MPs to support the draft. Shevardnadze decided to stand aside and even rejected proposal to hold talks with the opposition leaders.
“There is no need for talks with opposition. The Parliament should come to solution on its own, so there was no need of Presidential interference,” Kakha Imnadze, Spokesman of the Georgian President explained on July 31.
President’s decision signaled both to the opposition and the majority that Shevardnadze is against adoption of the new Election Code. “It is now evident, that factions which were against adoption of the Election Code were instructed by President Shevardnadze,” Zurab Zhvania, leader of the United Democrats said at the news briefing on July 31.
President’s indifference towards the events in the Parliament came as a surprise for th!
e opposition factions, as adoption of the draft Election Code!
by the first hearing was possible only after Shevardnadze’s direct interference, when he urged his supporters to vote for the document.
“I really can not say what made him [President Shevardnadze] change his position so radically after July 24 and turn the situation upside-down,” Zurab Zhvania said.
President’s administration calls upon the sides to continue consultations and reach consensus over the Election Code. “The consultation should be continued in the Parliament, the factions should agree and then meet the President,” Shevardnadze’s spokesperson said.
The opposition is trying to reach the consensus with the government regarding the election code for more than a year. The hopes for reaching a compromise increased only after the US President’s envoy James Baker in early July proposed the election guidelines, including the rule of composition of the CEC.
Since then, President Shevardnadze repea!
tedly voiced his support to the Baker Plan. However, recent developments in the Parliament cast opposition’s doubts regarding his commitments to implement these guidelines.
By Giorgi Sepashvili, Civil Georgia
