Opposition tries to destabilize government for election law

The opposition boycotted the parliament session on June 10 as the majority refused to share their view with regards to the electoral reform that envisages rejecting the current majoritarian-style elections in Georgia.

The opposition claims that they will use all levers in the future to get the authorities change their current approach.

The government stresses that radical amendments in the election code prior to the 2016 parliamentary elections are not beneficial.

They are trying to postpone the process until 2020 and are offering changes in several sections of the election legislation.

Meanwhile 15 political parties and 9 NGOs reminded the government of their pre-election promise, when they were against the current election system.

“The majority denies speaking with us over the amendments in the election code and tries to continue the current ugly tradition that is why we refused to register for the session,” member of the Free Democrats Irakli Chikovani said.

Owing to the lack of quorum the parliament session deranged.

The opposition United National Movement MP Givi Targamadze stated that the opposition does not intend to stop fighting as preserving the majoritarian elections means more chances of winning for the Georgian Dream and less opportunity for the opposition parties.

Leader of the Georgian Troup non-parliamentary opposition Jondi Baghaturia asks to paralyze the government’s activities in order to achieve the goal.

“We must not let Bidzina Ivanishvili to continue his illegal running of the country. All the opposition parties should stand together,” Baghaturia said.

The non-parliamentary opposition warned about street rallies if the government does not fulfill its promise and refuses to reject the majoritarian elections.

The majority states that the opposition acts irresponsibly. However, the opposition members will not be sanctioned as their action had a political motivation.

The GD coalition laid out its reform proposal late last week. It envisages maintaining the mixed electoral model for the 2016 parliamentary elections, wherein 73 lawmakers are elected in 73 majoritarian, single-mandate constituencies and the remaining 77 seats are allocated by a party-list, proportional vote.

The plan also includes redrawing single-mandate districts to provide equality of suffrage.