Georgian MPs vote to permit citizens of EU countries residing in Georgia to participate in elections

Today, the Georgian Parliament has adopted in the first reading the amendments to the Constitution, which involve the provision to EU citizens residing in Georgia for last 10 years, electoral rights.

On April 4, Christian Democrats proposed to introduce amendments to the Constitution to make Bidzina Ivanishvili, the politician and the businessman, eligible to participate in the elections. In particular, the oppositionists proposed to permit the EU citizens residing in Georgia for 10 years to participate in the electoral processes. On April 7, Georgia started public hearings on amendments to the Constitution.

112 MPs out of 150 MPs represented at the Parliament of Georgia have unanimously voted for the amendments to the Constitution.

"Citizens of the European Union, who were born in Georgia and who reside in the country for last 10 years, are provide with active and passive electoral rights for 10 years," states the new Article of the Constitution, which was read out at the plenary session by Pavle Kublashvili, Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission for public discussion of the amendments made to the Constitution, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, the "News-Georgia" reports.

Statement of Pavle Kublashvili angered the parliamentary opposition. Djondi Baghaturiya, MP from the faction "Unity for Justice", proposed to write in the Article of the Constitution not the words of "EU citizens", but the words "Bidzina Ivanishvili", the "Echo of the Caucasus" reports.