Weekly Review of the Parliament’s Plenary Sessions. Extraordinary Session, August 01-02, 2001

AUGUST 01-02, WEDNESDAY -THURSDAY

1. The Project of Organic Law of Georgia on “Changes and Amendments to the Organic Law on “Local Governmence And Self-Governance”

 The chairman of regional policy and local government office Badri Khatidze represented project.

 After the closed consultations between majority and opposition, opposition compromised the president appointed “Gamgebeli”(governor) issue  and majority compromised on proportional election of rayon “Sakrebulo”(city council).

Despite of the agreement opposition didn’t attend session motivating it with a will first to achieve agreement on election code and then vote for the both draft together. Majority refused the suggestion.

One group of NGOs initiated alternative version on cancellation of parliamentary three-subject (parties and blocks passed 7% barrier last elections) filter commission depriving opposition right of veto on CEC member candidature caused opposition irritation.

Parliament will come back to the capital self-government issues in special law on Tbilisi in the beginning of   autumn sessions.

The agreement achieved with opposition failed. Majority demanded discussion of president-initiated project with little correction (to elect Meyers of big cities except Tbilisi). If not the Badri Khatidze’s insistence to get permission on working plan from president, minority could pass the direct election of Meyers and “Gamgebeli”.

It’s notable that seven-member group of MPs (K.Davitashvili, V.Maglaperidze, K.Kemularia, Z.Adeishvili, E.Tevdoradze, V.Chipashvili, V.Merabishvili) represented two alternative versions. First took into account the direct election of Meyers and “Gamgebeli” and in case of failure of first version second stand for election of “Gamgebeli” from “Sakrebulo” composition.

Finally, they decide to hold the rating voting in order to clear out the most supported draft project.

• MPs’ group initiated first alternative

         For – 19 
         Against – 65

• MPs’ group initiated second alternative

         For – 21
         Against – 74

• President initiated version

          For – 120 
          Against – 5

• Version agreed with opposition

          For – 8 
          Against -97

Results made to vote for the president’s version, where first level self-government (village, borough, community, city) is elected through majoritarian system of elections, Meyers of big cities and in places populated less than 5000 people “Gamgebeli” are elected through the direct way and President appoints “Gamgebeli” from rayon associated “Sakrebulo”.
 

Voted by rushed rule (three hearing).

For – 127 
Against – 1  < I hearing >

During the second hearing Gia Baramidze demanded to show in text   the necessity of agreement of president and “Sakrebulo” on “Gamgebeli” candidature in order to increase the level of electivity.  Bardi Khatidze considered the issue as the object of first hearing and was categorically against of Baramidze’s suggestion.

For – 124 
Against – 1  <II hearing>

 
For – 124 
Against – 1  <III hearing>

2. Project of Organic Law  “Elections Code of Georgia”

The head of inter-faction group on election code Gigi Tsereteli represented draft project.

Under this bill, the representatives of NGOs will form the Central Election Commission (CEC). Only those NGOs, which have functions of civil society development and elections’ monitoring in their charters, will be selected. Joint commission of the Parties and Blocks of the Parliament, which have surpassed 7% election barrier, will select minimum 3 and maximum 7 NGOs. From NGOs’ candidates of CEC 7 members will be chosen and approved by the 2/3 of votes of the Parliament.

Majority noted, if opposition would continue boycotting parliament during autumn sessions, then majority have to change filter commission and 2/3 of votes approved CEC members procedures by different mechanism.

CEC will appoint three members of District Election Commission (DEC), parties and blocks passed 7% barrier last elections will appoint three members and one member will represent rayon “Salrebulo”.

By the project, 7 members defined composition of Precinct Election Commission (PEC), but parliamentarians demanded to increase the number till 11. DEC will appoint six member of PEC and other 5 members will represent parties and blocks having best results last elections.

The discussion of paragraph related to election deposit was postponed for autumn session, as it causes necessity of constitutional changes. Also the issue relates to the participation of refugees in election possess was postponed.

The alternative of “International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy” to the paragraph 73 on registration rules and rights of election observers was shared.

Koba Davitashvili represented his alternative on taking away the “Sakrebulo” appointed member of DEC. But the issue was shaded after the opposition representatives (Socialists and Revivals) had demonstratively came back in plenary sitting hall. They declared that majority was taking the state significant decisions by falsification of voting. Vakhtang Rcheulishvili announced that opposition would appeal and demand cancellation of bills passed by falsification way.

Finally, election code was voted by rushed rule.

   
For – 126 
Against – 0  <I hearing>

For – 127 
Against – 0  <II hearing>

 
For – 126 
Against – 0  <III hearing>

Other issues of agenda (draft project on “changes and amendments to Tax Code of Georgia”/on energy companies taxation regime/; draft project on “changes and amendments to administrative procedure Code of Georgia”; draft project on “amendments to law on “prisoners”; “Credit Contract on Development (Electro Energy Market Support Project) between Georgia and International Association of Development”) were postponed to September.

Parliament extraordinary session was declared closed.