Public consideration of the draft Constitutional Changes in the regions accomplished

The public consideration series ended in Martvili.

The Chair of the Procedural Issues and Ruels Committee, Giorgi Kakhiani introduced main directions of the draft. He spoke about necessity of changes and noted that the last Constitutional changes introduced in 2010 are in full incompliance with the fundamental principles of the Constitutional Law, including with the principles of separation of powers and the current edition provides technical and editorial gaps.

He emphasized four fundamental directions – impartial President, strong Parliament, effective Government and independent Court and spoke about respective changes.

G. Kakhiani touched upon the changes to the records on territorial arrangement, marriage and defense and security Chapter. “No principal changes are to be adopted to the territorial arrangement but the message remains introduced in 1995 to the Constitution. Territorial arrangement shall not be revised unless restoration of territorial integrity of the country. As to the Chapter on Defense and Security, the current edition is vague and the changes clearly regulate this sphere. The changes prescribe functions and duties of the Government and the President”.

He touched upon the changes to the electoral system – transition from mixed to proportional elections and elucidated the nuances of direct and indirect Presidential elections.

MP, Lela Keburia expressed the opinion of the opposition regarding the changes. The society attending is unified around one goal – progress of the country, though they demonstrate this issue in different manner. She protested so-called bonus system and Presidential election rule and demanded plebiscite.

The Majority MP, Giorgi Khatidze spoke about the changes to the Chapter on Human Rights and elucidated the context of the Chapter II and emphasized Constitutional level of new fundamental rights and increased standard on some norms. He touched upon the Presidential status and authorities and elucidated that the status defined with main signs – Head of State, Supreme Commander and Representative of the country in foreign relations remain unchanged. As to the authorities, it is subject to minor changes.

Single Mandate MP, Irakli (Dachi) Beraia addressed the attendees: “Primary objective of public consideration is to collect the positions of the people and to share all important changes introduced to the Constitution. At the last Parliamentary elections, the society conferred the Constitutional majority to Georgian Dream, which is the greatest responsibility for each of us. I promise to do our best to justify your trust in us. One of our greatest challenges is to adopt the Constitution to belong to the society instead of any particular individual or party”.

The local population expressed their opinions and asked about land alienation, labor and healthy living conditions, mandate distribution etc.