Committee on Electoral Code Holds Sitting on Revisions

The parliament has started to discuss the revised election code. The code was submitted at the first reading of the sitting of the committee on the code by chairman, Pavle Kublashvili. The MP presented to his colleagues in detail the draft amendments and spoke about the recommendations of the Venice Commission and proposals of the NGOs.

In accordance to the amendments, in the code the right of independent candidates to run in the elections will be enshrined. As Kublashvili said the norm has not been enforced since 2004 and now it will be restored on the basis of the recommendation of the Venice Commission. There are innovations in the restrictions on suffrage. In accordance with the revised draft, those convicts that are sentenced for less serious crimes and their imprisonment up to a maximum of a five year term will enjoy the right to vote.

The amendments also concern the issue of determining the number of necessary signatures. As the draft envisages, the presentation of a candidate by an initiating group will be endorsed if there are signatures of 1% (a minimum 500) registered voters on the territory of the election district in question.

Kublashvili spoke about the issue of taking photos and videos during Election Day. In accordance with his statement, on the recommendation of the Venice Commission, the usage of CCTV is abrogated at the precincts but the persons, existing in the voting facility, can take photos and videos with exception of in voting cabin and without interference in the election process.

The leader of Georgian Party Jondi Baghaturia expressed his ideas on the draft code. As he said the process of work on the draft was undemocratic and the submitted amendments are unacceptable for him. The MP was dissatisfied with the mechanism for checking the voters’ lists and mode of composition of the election administration. Baghaturia also expressed his complaint at media coverage.

Chairman Kublashvili answered the opposition MP. Kublashvili said that in no single European code is there allocated that much time to opposition’s broadcasting coverage, as there is in the submitted draft. A special commission working on verification of voters' lists is chaired by an opposition representative and its work is open and transparent.

MPs and NGO representatives expressed their opinions on the draft code. The representative of GYLA considered that several provisions of the draft were improvements but there are some elements which need corrections.

The chairman of the committee said that work on the code will continue and before its submission to the plenary sitting, the committee will again discuss it. As he said, the draft has been sent to the Venice Commission and their final assessments will be known on the 17th of December.