The Statement by the Majority regarding the Constitutional reform

Prior to the Parliamentary Elections of 2016, “Georgian Dream” with the pre-election program has assumed obligation towards the electors to undertake the Constitutional reform on the basis of which the Constitution of Georgia would be brought in compliance with the Constitutional principles. In this view, the State Constitutional Commission has been set up with wide involvement of the Parliamentary and non-Parliamentary parties, Constitutional bodies, NGOs and experts. The Commission has developed the document ensuring full compliance of the Constitution with the fundamental principles of the Constitutional law as clearly confirmed by the Venice Commission in the final opinion of July. The Constitutional changes ensure establishment of the Parliamentary governance based on the checks and balances principle, clear dissociation of the authorities amongst the Constitutional bodies, boosting the Parliament, extension of the rights of the Parliamentary opposition, significant improvement of the human rights protection standards, creation of the solid Constitutional guarantees for independence of the judicial authority and municipalities, due regulation of defense and security issues. The Constitutional law provides none (1) of the norms improving the subjective political positions of the ruling party. At that, the Constitutional changes exclude formation of any autocracy in Georgia in long-term run. All the key norms of the Constitutional law will fully enact in November, 2020. Despite hereof, the opposition refused to support the Constitutional reform. In view to achieve wide consensus regarding the Constitutional changes, “Georgian Dream”, upon accomplishment of the State Constitutional Commission activity and adoption of the Constitutional changes with II reading, has once again expressed commitment for restoration of the dialogue and appealed to the opposition parties to provide the list of the issues in case of reflection of which they would support the Constitutional changes. Hereof list of the issues would allow the Leaders of the Parliamentary Majority holding the consultations with the Majority Members and reconciling the positions on the changes to be introduced to the Constitutional law. Such agreement, in its turn should serve the basis for the successful dialogue with the opposition. However, despite numerous efforts by the Majority leaders, the opposition parties never responded to the question about the conditions they accept for supporting the Constitutional changes. Instead, the opposition lodged the ultimatums as a pre-condition for restoration of the dialogue with the Majority. Hereof counter-productive undertakings by the opposition parties made consultations within the Majority impossible and hence, restoration of the dialogue amongst the Majority and opposition political parties. The steps made by the opposition have confirmed that absence of consensus was the ultimate goal of the opposition. Against the conditions when the opposition has finely put the dialogue into the dead-end, holding the next round of consultations within or beyond the country has no any sense. These consequences are especially deplorable that the Venice Commission has expressed particular diligence to the Constitutional reforming in Georgia and offered to the Georgian political spectrum to hold the ad hoc consultations in Strasbourg. The Parliamentary Majority expresses gratitude to the Venice Commission for support of the Constitutional reform. The Majority, at the autumn session will endorse the Constitutional changes adopted with the II reading with editorial amendments. On the basis of accomplishment of the Constitutional reform, it would be for the first time after restoration of independence of Georgia when the country adopts the Constitution excluding formation of autocracy and ensuring long-term and stable democratic development.