Members of PACE Monitoring Committee visit Georgia
By Khatia Bzhalava
Thursday, June 3
Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Monitoring Committee Titus Corlatean, Clause Kern and Bas Klein arrived in Georgia on Wednesday on a two-day visit to hold meetings with the Georgian Parliamentary Delegation to PACE, Chair of the Legal Issues Committee Anri Okhanashvili, Chair of the Sector Economy and Economic Policy Committee David Songulashvili, Majority Leader Irakli Kobakhidze, Parliamentary opposition and the members of the faction Lelo – Partnership for Georgia.
The PACE delegation first met with Speaker Kuchava. They discussed the political processes in Georgia and stressed the implementation of the document mediated by Charles Michel. The EU-mediated agreement was signed by the majority of Georgian political parties back in April 2021 to resolve the political tension in the country which began after the 2020 parliamentary elections.
The sides touched upon the electoral and the judicial reforms, which are proposed in the EU-mediated document, and noted the importance of reflecting the recommendations of the Venice Commission in the legislation. According to the press centre of the parliament, the parties discussed the attendance of the PACE observers at the upcoming Municipal Elections. For their part, the Commission members affirmed their commitment to observing the process.
PACE monitors also met with the members of the Parliamentary Delegation of Georgia at PACE. The sides focused on the planned and ongoing reforms and the government’s steps in this regard. MP Irakli Chikovani stated after the meeting that the Georgian Dream has launched significant reforms and added that “it is a unique event in the history of Georgia when the electoral reform is approved by all rational political subjects.”
The Chair of the Legal Issues Committee, Anri Okhanashvili also held a meeting with the PACE Monitoring Committee members, focusing on the scheduled reform of the Code of Administrative Offenses. As Okhanashvili stated, the government plans to adopt the new Code before making the application for EU membership in 2024.
Another meeting was held with PM Irakli Garibashvili, who briefed committee members on the challenging situation in the occupied territories of Georgia and stressed the role of the support provided by the Council of Europe in the peaceful resolution of the conflict.
PACE monitors will hold a meeting with Georgian opposition members on June 3. After the meeting, the PACE Delegation will prepare a report about the country.
