PACE Monitors Welcome Georgia Pledge to Seek CoE Advice on Rally-Related Bill

Co-rapporteurs for Georgia from the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said on July 13 that they welcomed pledge by the Georgian Parliament that “the draft amendments to the laws on rallies, police and administrative offenses will be submitted” to the Venice Commission for expertise.

“We are not going to pass anything, which will not be in line with the European standards,” Davit Bakradze, the parliamentary chairperson, said on July 11. “So we are ready – as envisaged by the official rules of Venice Commission – to send law with its amendments to the Commission for expertise and if there is criticism in the conclusion of the Commission, we will be ready to return back to discussions and introduce relevant amendments.”

Lawmakers from the ruling party specified later that the Parliament planned to send amendments to the Venice Commission, which is Council of Europe’s advisory body for legal and constitutional issues, after they are approved. The Parliament passed the bill with its first reading on July 11. A spokesperson for the parliament confirmed to Civil.Ge on July 14, that the plan had not changed and the amendments would be submitted to the Commission after it was approved with all three readings.

“Freedom of assembly and expression are crucial for democracy. It is thus essential that any amendments to these laws are in conformity with European standards,” the co-rapporteurs on monitoring of Georgia’s fulfillment of its obligations, Matyas Eorsi and Kastriot Islami said in the statement.

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