Ruling Party Announces Flurry of Measures to Meet EC Conditions

Irakli Kobakhidze, the ruling party chairman, announced at today’s briefing a set of last-minute measures to meet the EC conditions for Georgia’s candidacy in the European Union.

Kobakhidze said four specific measures were drafted in response to the EC recommendations raised during the recent visit of the EU High Representative Josep Borrell.

In particular, Kobakhidze announced that the Action Plan on de-Oligarchisation will be sent to the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe. He noted that the ruling party MPs will vote down the current version of the de-oligarchization law, which is being heard in its final, third review at tomorrow’s session of the Parliament.

The draft was criticized by the Venice Commission for taking an overly “personalized” approach to the problem. The new Action Plan was recently endorsed by the EU integration commission, but this document has not been available for public scrutiny.

Kobakhidze also said that the parliamentary majority had also drafted the law on common courts, which would also be sent to the Venice Commission for review, as well as the amendments to the electoral code relating to the election of the chairman and members of the Central Electoral Commission, which Kobakhidze said would be adopted in the first reading and sent to the Venice Commission this week.

The Chair of the GD announced that the law on the Anti-Corruption Bureau, the Special Investigation Service, and personal data protection would also be submitted to the Venice Commission before the end of the week.

In addition, Kobakhidze announced that to meet further EC’s recommendations:

• The national risk assessment document on money laundering will be adopted soon;
• The first draft of the action plan for the human rights strategy will be prepared;
• The information on the investigation into the organizers of the violence of 5 July 2021 will be sent to the European Commission;
• and coordination meetings with NGOs on substantive issues “will continue.”

The authorities are “doing everything not to leave even a minimal pretext to deny Georgia’s candidate status” – Kobakhidze stressed.

Read also:

• 14/09/2023 – EU Integration Commission Approves De-Oligarchization Action Plan
• 08/09/2023 – EUHR Borrell Holds Meetings in Georgia

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)