Opposition to Re-Sumbit Referendum Question to CEC
Representatives from the opposition Republican and Conservative parties, as well as from the public movement ‘Forum for Welfare and Democracy’ plan to re-submit their request for launching a referendum to the Central Election Commission (CEC). If CEC accepts the request, the parties would launch the collection of signatures of the Georgian voters to schedule a referendum on whether the city mayors should be appointed through direct elections.
The CEC already turned down a similar request by the same opposition groups on July 15. In its official decision, the CEC explained that the question which the opposition parties wanted to put forward at the referendum was not formulated ?clearly and specifically?, could mislead the voters and, therefore, did not correspond to the law.
The initial version of the question to be put on referendum read: ?Do you agree that Mayors/Heads of Districts of all settlements of Georgia should be appointed through direct elections by the residents of these settlements??
The CEC argued in its ruling that in some towns the mayors are already appointed through direct elections, while in others (such as the cities of Tbilisi and Poti) they are appointed by the President. Hence, according to the CEC the question was misleading and even irrelevant for those voters that already elect their mayors.
The opposition parties initially planned to appeal the court with the demand to annul the CEC?s ruling, but finally decided to re-formulate the question and try their luck at the CEC.
?Currently we are undergoing consultations with legal experts over the formulation of the question. We will appeal the court if the CEC blocks our proposal once again,? Irakli Melashvili of the public movement ‘Forum for Welfare and Democracy’ told Civil Georgia.
Opposition’s demand to hold a referendum follows the government-sponsored legislation that foresees appointment of Tbilisi mayor by the elected council and not through the direct vote.
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