President Hopes Number of MPs will Be Reduced

(Tbilisi, September 8, 2003, Civil Georgia) – President Shevardnadze expressed hope today that the voters will support the proposal for reducting the number of MPs from 235 to 150 during the referendum, scheduled for November 2.

“I had to appoint the referendum, as more than 200,000 citizens applied to me with this request. I call on the citizens to participate in this referendum and I am sure at least 90% of voters will support the reduction of number of MPs,” President Shevardnadze said in his Monday radiobroadcast on September 8.

If approved, the new Parliam!
ent will consider the relevant amendments to be added to the Constitution of Georgia and 150 MPs will be elected in the 2007 parliamentary elections.