Ruling party bill on electoral commission staff’s election contradicts country’s EU candidacy goals – UNM MP

Ana Tsitlidze, an MP of the United National Movement opposition party, on Tuesday said the latest bill proposed by by the ruling Georgian Dream party on the election of the head and seven members in the country’s central election commission was against Georgia’s obtaining the European Union membership candidate status by the end of this year. 

 

The bill proposed on Monday allows the parliament instead of the president to elect the commission staff with a simple majority – at least 76 votes in the 150-member parliament – contradicting a current rule elaborated in line with the agreement mediated by the European Council president Charles Michel in April 2021, stipulating the need of cooperation between the parties to elect the CEC officials. 

 

Tsitlidze claimed the adoption of the bill would allow the current authorities to ‘fully control” the CEC, before urging the GD to send the amendments to the Council of Europe Venice Commission for an opinion before a final vote. 

 

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, a domestic NGO, has also slammed the bill as an attempt of the ruling party to “adapt the legislation to its own interests”, which it said would reduce the independence of the body. 

 

The ruling party MPs, however, claim all bills proposed by them have been “in full accordance” with the country’s European intentions, accusing the opposition of “destructive actions”.