Constitutional Commission meets again

A session of the Georgian Constitutional Commission was held on 26 December. The main part of the meeting was a debate about the constitutional changes worked out over the last two months.

The Constitutional Commission discussed its working draft of constitutional changes for four hours. Members considered several proposals, and two of the four alternative governance models for the country were highlighted, the Presidential republic and a mixed American-type model promoted by Levan Ramishvili. Pavle Kublashvili, the Chairman of Parliament's Legal Issues Committee, said that these proposals were among several being made currently.

The members of the Commission stated that this document is its first serious product and a normative act. They also explained that the changes will be considered to every clause of the constitution.

Chairman of the Constitutional Commission Avtandil Demetrashvili explained that there had only been discussion about some proposals, nothing had been finalised. “The members of the Commission expressed their opinions about the proposals and agreed future plans,” said Demetrashvili. However, “The role of Parliament will be increased, and at the same time the rights of the President will be more balanced and subject to check than they are nowadays,” explained Tengiz Sharamanashvili, the Secretary of the Constitutional Commission.

Political analyst Gia Khukhashvili has said that he does not pay much attention to this Commission’s work because it is just a facade organ and its legitimacy is in question. “I already know what is will end up doing. Everything will be signed by one person, and knowing his psychology I know what he is prepared to sign. So work of the Commission is not interesting to me,” Khukhashvili told The Messenger.

The proposals will be discussed by experts in two weeks and the final version of the document will be sent to Parliament in a few months.