Parliament Adopts Rule on CEC Composition, Contradicting Baker’s Plan

(Tbilisi, August 5, 2003, Civil Georgia) – Parliamentary special session adopted today amendments to the Election Code, considering rule of composition of Central Election Commission.

The adopted rule contradicts US-suggested election guidelines. According to the approved proposal the CEC will not be composed on the parity bases.

The rule, which was supported by the pro-Presidential Parliamentary factions, as well as Industrialists and Revival, considers composition of the CEC with the five members of the Presidential-backed election alliance, three members of the Revival Union, two memb!
ers of Industrialists, the opposition Labor Party, United Democrats, National Movement and the New Rights parties each will have one representative in the CEC.

The opposition Unity, Traditionalists parties as well as the representatives of the former President Zviad Gamsakhurdia are deprived to have a seat in the CEC. 

The opposition Parliamentary factions United Democrats, National Movement, New Rights and Traditionalists protested against the approved document.

“This document is against the Baker’s Plan. President Shevardnadze promised he would endorse this plan but did not keep his promise, as his supporter MPs obstructed the US-suggested election guidelines,” Giorgi Baramidze, Chairman of the United Democrats faction said after the voting.

Last week US embassy in Georgia issued a statement twice urging the Georgian government and the Parliament to approve the Baker’s Plan, which considered composition of the CEC on!
the parity bases.

In its statement issued on August 4!
the OSCE Mission to Georgia warned that the delay in adoption of the amendments, which include broad anti-fraud measures and the creation of a credible election administration, hinders efforts to ensure that the 2 November Parliamentary election takes place according to OSCE commitments.

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