GD Parliament Changes Rules: Dumps Protesting Civil Servants, Legalizes Fake Opposition Group
On February 6, the Georgian Dream parliament approved in third reading amendments to its rules of procedure and the resulting package of legislative amendments. The changes include a number of revisions affecting the status of institutions operating within the parliament.
As stated in the GD Parliament press release the National Library of Georgia will be granted a new legal status as the legal entity of public law (LEPL) Ilia Chavchavadze National Library of Georgia. This institution will be subject to the oversight of the Ministry of Culture, and all existing library personnel will maintain their status as civil servants.
Instead of the State Council of Heraldry under the Parliament, a LEPL will be established under the Government of Georgia – the State Department of Symbols and Heraldry of Georgia. The State Council of Heraldry will be represented in it with its own structure and budget.
Another change is the liquidation of the Research Center of the Parliament of Georgia, effective March 10, 2025. The employees earlier alleged that this move was retaliation for their public criticism of the GD government’s decision to abort EU accession talks until 2028. The Center’s assets and resources will be transferred to the Parliament, and it will assume management over the Center’s state budget allocations. Employees of the Center who are dismissed will receive compensation equivalent to three months’ salary.
In addition, a transitional provision will permit members of the Georgian Parliament, until the recognition of powers of the next Parliament, elected in 2028, to form parliamentary political groups with at least three members of Parliament “nominated by one political party may form a parliamentary political group”.
This changes the previous rule which required seven MPs to form the parliamentary group. The formation of such groups is subject to the same regulations that govern the establishment of parliamentary factions. The change has allowed three MPs from the GD party, Ilia Injia, Varlam Liparteliani and Nika Elisashvili, to form a new opposition group called European Socialists, as they declared they “were leaving GD” to be a healthy opposition. The group was registered on February 7 immediately after the adoption of the changes.
The proposed amendments encompass provisions for the head and deputy head of a political group. It is clarified that these individuals will possess analogous rights and obligations to those of faction leaders; however, they are prohibited from assuming additional parliamentary roles. In instances where a political group consists of more than six members, it is permitted to appoint two deputy heads. Conversely, if the group has fewer than seven members, the appointment of a single deputy head is authorized.
Also Read:
- 06/02/2025 – GD Parliament Adopts Repressive Amendments in Third Reading
- 03/02/2025 – GD Announces More Repressive Legislative Changes
- 30/12/2024 – GD Elected President Kavelashvili Signs Into Law Repressive Legislation
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