The Georgian president’s administration on Wednesday said the president would veto a bill proposed by the ruling Georgian Dream party on the election of the head and seven members in the country’s central election commission.
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, which stipulates the need of cooperation between the parties to elect the CEC officials. “For the third time, the ruling majority is changing laws because the president did not present the candidates they wanted for specific positions. These are ambassadors, members of the board of the National Bank, chairman and members of the CEC. In all three cases, the president’s principled position stems from the state’s, not personal, interests”, the president’s administration said.
It noted when selecting candidates, the president was guided by their “impartiality and professionalism”, and noted that “single-party” appointments would pose threats to Georgia’s European integration.
