PACE co-rapporteurs call on Georgian Parliament not to hurry the adoption of constitutional amendments

Strasbourg, 12.10.2010 – The monitoring co-rapporteurs for Georgia of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Kastriot Islami (Albania, SOC) and Michael Aastrup Jensen (Denmark, ALDE), have called on the Georgian Parliament not to adopt the amendments to the constitution before the Venice Commission – the Council of Europe’s group of independent experts in constitutional law – has given its opinion on them, but only after its recommendations have been taken into account and addressed.

“As we mentioned after our last visit, it is important to ensure that the constitutional amendments are adopted in an all-inclusive process based on consultation and consensus, and that the Venice Commission recommendations are taken into account,” the co-rapporteurs said.

“Adopting these amendments before the final opinion of the Venice Commission has been issued will only give rise to unnecessary criticism that the constitution was changed in a hurry,” they added.