Bill to Allow Ten Politicians to Regain MP Seats

A constitutional amendment allowing opposition politicians to retake their parliamentary seats will be introduced early next week, MP Mikheil Machavariani, vice-speaker of the parliament, said.

Last June twelve opposition politicians renounced their MP mandates in protest against ballot fraud, which they said took place in the May 21, 2008 parliamentary elections.

These twelve politicians were: Levan Gachechiladze, an individual opposition politician; Zviad Dzidziguri, Conservative Party leader; Koba Davitashvili, leader of Party of People; Eka Beselia of the Movement for United Georgia; Gubaz Sanikidze of the National Forum; Giorgi Khaindrava, an individual opposition figure; Konstantine Gamsakhurdia, leader of Party of Freedom and five politicians from the New Rights Party – Davit Gamkrelidze, Pikria Chikhradze, Davit Saganelidze, Mamuka Katsitadze and Irakli Iashvili.

Ten of them were elected through party-list, proportional vote and two of them by winning contests in the Tbilisi’s two single-mandate majoritarian constituencies  – Davit Gamkrelidze in Vake and Davit Saganelidze in Didube.

The draft of planned constitutional amendment, according to the ruling party officials, would only apply to those opposition politicians who were endorsed in the Parliament through party-list, proportional vote. Those two politicians, who last year won single-mandate majoritarian contest, will not be eligible to retake their seats, as by-elections have already been held in those two constituencies and those two vacant seats already taken by others.

President Saakashvili first offered these opposition politicians to retake their seats in June, but they turned down the proposal. Saakashvili reiterated proposal again on July 20 during his address to the Parliament.

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